Hidden Fires
by SpiritSealedSlumber
Summary: The Phantoms. The Enforcers. Pitted against one another in a power struggle of the Underground, how to kill the one you love the most? [ON HIATUS]
1. Just Another Day of School

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter One: Just Another School Day

Two figures stood in a dark alley, facing each other.

Not a word was spoken as they silently stared, measuring up their opponent.

On an unspoken signal, they rushed towards one another, silent and swift.

Meeting in the middle of the alley, their attacks were swift and merciless.

Bodies moved fluidly back and forth as they twisted and dodged each other's blows; it seemed the two enemies were evenly matched.

Until one of the figures jumped backwards to avoid a blow and slipped in an unseen puddle, feet sliding out from underneath them.

The other figure took advantage of the other's momentary lapse and closed in for the kill.

Reaching towards its belt, the figure's hand grabbed for a knife strapped to its side. Surprised registered on their face on finding the sheath empty.

A chill ran down the figure's spine, alerting it to the danger, but a second too late. Looking up, the figure barely had time to register the knife flashing in a patch of moonlight before it began it's swift descent.

"Halt!"

The command was immediately obeyed, the knife halting a bare inch away from Sango Hitari's neck.

Breathing lightly, the second figure stood up. Moonlight fell across Kagome Higurashi's face as she stared down at her friend.

Then she grinned and held out a hand. Grabbing it, Sango stood up, grumbling.

"If that damn puddle hadn't been there..." she trailed off. Shaking her head, Kagome only laughed.

A third person stepped from the shadows next to them. "You have to be prepared for everything. You know that as well as I do, Sango," Ayame Shino admonished. Nodding slowly in agreement, Sango peered at Kagome as they three slowly walked out of the alley.

"Still, if that puddle hadn't been there, I would have kicked your ass," she said lightly. Kagome snorted. "You wish! You've been saying that for the past two years, and since when has that happened?" she asked, tiredness creeping into her voice.

Sango and Ayame noticed and kept silent; they knew when their friend needed to rest. "So, see you tomorrow?" Sango asked.

Kagome nodded as she climbed into her car. Pealing out, the taillights disappeared in a matter of seconds.

* * *

"Hello, good morning, and welcome to another beautiful day at Shitomi High School!"

Kagome snorted in derision as she walked into the school just as the morning announcements began.

"The following clubs will be meeting today during lunch: Archery, Staff and Swords..." Kagome ignored all but the first club; she was determined to join it this year. Last year, she had transferred too late. Gritting her teeth as the head cheerleader's voice came over the intercom, Kagome walked down the hall to her first block. "Cheerleading tryouts for this year's cheer squad will be held this afternoon after school. Anyone interested in trying out should report to the gym by three o'clock sharp! And all you guys coming to watch, at least try to stay out of the way and away from our skirts!" Kikyo Hakashi's voice became slightly husky at the end, almost daring every guy to not show up and check out her ass in her barely-there-you-know-you're-gonna-see-something-when-I-bend-over shorts.

Kagome rolled her eyes in disgust; just once, she'd kill to see Kikyo's perfect little life fucked up.

Grinning at the mental image, she walked into first block, Health, completely ignoring the teacher.

Sighing, the teacher just counted her present, knowing that if he tried anything else he'd get his ass kicked.

Slouching in her chair, Kagome didn't listen to a word the new student teacher said. Instead, she stared at him the entire class period, waiting for the bell to ring.

This, of course, made him extremely nervous for a couple reasons: First, he was only a year or two older than some of the students in the class, which made him susceptible to some of the more... attractive girls.

And Kagome was everything else but pretty. Long raven black hair cascaded down her back. Large midnight blue eyes were the focal point of her face, but her full mouth had made guys drool on occasion.

The second reason for his nervousness could be attributed to the fact that he was new, or it could be the girl that decided to walk into class at that moment.

Kikyo looked around the class and raised her eyebrows in haughty disdain, daring anyone to do anything but worship at her feet.

Of course, Kagome did the exact opposite. Staring at her in disgust, Kagome leaned back and propped her boot clad feet on the desk.

Her lips twisting in revulsion, Kikyo walked past her, nose in air. An evil glint appeared in Kagome's eyes, and if Kikyo had been watching, she wouldn't have missed it. Snapping her book closed just as she walked by, Kikyo's skirt, if you could call it a skirt, was caught in the pages.

A ripping sound startled everyone into silence.

Then a resounding roll of laughter swept the room as Kikyo stood stock-still, frozen with shock. Kagome was bent double in her chair, laughter squeezing her insides together, making it impossible to move.

Kikyo's skirt had ripped all the way up the back, only held up by her belt.

Tears welling up in her eyes, she swung around, a humiliated look on her face as she glared at Kagome.

Raising her hand, she swung it with all her might towards Kagome's face. It was stopped in mid-air, a bare two inches from away.

Growling in anger, Kagome tightened her grip on Kikyo's wrist. The other girl's face was the picture of shock; she hadn't known anyone could move that fast!

The room was quiet once more as everyone strained to hear what was being said.

"If you ever, _ever_ try that again, I will personally cut that hand off and feed it to the wolves. Got that?" Kagome whispered in Kikyo's face.

Nodding jerkily, still in shock, Kikyo stood dumbfounded.

Releasing the girl's hand, Kagome stalked out of the classroom, glaring at the teacher when he made a motion to stop her.

She didn't slow down until she reached the library. Opening the door, she breathed deeply.

She loved the smell of old books and parchment; it never failed to calm her. Quietly edging her way to the farthest corner, she sat down at a table where a Reserved sign always sat.

This was her table, had always been, ever since she first started coming to the school. The last time someone had sat at the table and ignored the sign... Let's just say that they were still in the hospital recovering from memory loss.

Propping her feet on a chair opposite her, she pulled out a random book from a shelf nearby, settling down to read. Five minutes later, she was engrossed in the book.

Still, her senses were on full alert and she heard the person standing behind the shelf to her left. "Come on out, Ayame. I know you're there." Pouting, the wolf demon shuffled out from behind the shelf and plopped into a chair next to the avid reader.

"How did you know I was there?" she asked sulkily. "Your footsteps. I could hear them a half mile away, but it wasn't until you were about a hundred yards from me that I knew it was you. You toe in a bit when you walk, keeping your weight shifted to the balls of your feet. Plus, you've only tried the same thing a zillion times."

Kagome looked up from her book at the last part, grinning. Ayame, who had been listening to the recital, unsurprised, snapped up straight.

"So? I'm gonna keep doing it until I finally scare you!" she said in a determined voice. Shaking her head in amusement, Kagome returned to her book. "You do that," she replied.

Ayame shrugged, then pulled out some homework from her backpack.

Stretching in the comfortable silence, Kagome resumed reading as Ayame went to work. It wasn't long before the third member of their group joined them.

"Hey Sango," they said in unison, without looking up from their occupations. "Hey guys," was their tired reply. Looking up, Kagome noticed that Sango had dark circles under her eyes.

_Big surprise there. I've got 'em too_, she thought. Setting down her own backpack with a sigh, Sango plopped down into the chair opposite them.

"So, what's up? Did I miss anything?" she questioned. Shaking their heads no, they returned to their works while Sango pulled out her own homework.

When the bell rang for lunch, Kagome was the first out of the library doors. Her two friends chased after her but didn't complain at her rush.

They knew how much the Archery Club meant to her.

When Kagome was little, her mother had taught her how to use a bow and arrow. Everyday, they had trained diligently. Her mother had been known nationally for her skill with the bow and arrow, winning every competition she entered.

But that skill hadn't been enough to keep her from getting killed by a wild youkai when she had been walking in the forest one day.

Ever since then, Kagome was determined to live up to her mother's image and make her mother proud of her.

Slowing down to a walk as she neared the common area, Kagome waited for her friends to catch up.

Together, they walked into the area, attitude rolling off them in waves.

Kagome couldn't wait for the archery tryouts to start.

It was time to show everyone just how much she had improved...

**A/N**: Chapter one, revamped! I decided to leave this one as is. Not so sure on the other chapters, however. Be prepared.

-**_S.S.S._**


	2. Rivals

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Two: Rivals

A boy stood against the far wall of the common area, next to a few drink machines. Next to him were two more guys, all quiet as they watched the three girls walk down the hall towards them.

The attitude they gave off only made the first two guys grin; the third guy had a perverted grin on his face as he stared at one girl in particular.

All three of them could have passed as ordinary, if the first one didn't have silver hair and dog ears.

Those ears were the ridicule of all the guys in the school, while the girls did all they could to touch them. Of course, the last girl who had tried still had scars...

The second was almost ordinary looking, except for the pointy ears and tail that swished out behind him every few seconds.

The third guy was ordinary in all ways, from his jeans and T-shirt to the tiny ponytail on the back of his neck.

The three of them had been looking forward to this part of the day for a week.

This girl, Kagome, was rumored to rival the cheerleading captain, Kikyo, in everything from brains to beauty. But that was where the comparisons ended.

Kikyo had an almost ethereal beauty, while Kagome's shrieked attitude and sex.

Either way, guys were drawn to them like flies to honey. Both were tall and well built, right down to the last curve, but while Kikyo's movements seemed to be all about grace, Kagome had muscle tone and fairly shrieked "Fuck with me, and die."

The silver-haired boy smirked as she passed him, his eyes running over her with a casual glance.

Suddenly, she stopped, turned around, and marched pass his two friends, right up into his face. Lifting her face so that she was eye level to him, her midnight blue eyes stared at him with a look that punched him in the gut and left him tingling from head to toe. Fascinated, he glanced at her mouth, unable to help himself, then down the rest of her body.

Her posture screamed predator as she looked at him, a slight smirk of her own on her face. Leaning right into him, her face in his, she spoke softly, quietly, into one of his ears, which twitched with every puff of breath.

"Don't look at me like that ever again. I'm not some toy to be played with, not by anybody. In any of my relationships, we are equal. So if you wanna try me, fine. Until then, don't. fuck. with. me. At least, not unless I want you to."

She smiled as she said the last part, drawing back from him. Suddenly he grinned too, startlingly her.

But her smile stayed in place, even as he put his hands on her waist to draw her even closer to him.

In response, she reached up to his head. And he let her, allowing her a privilege that wasn't allowed to anyone, not even his mother.

Stroking just the edges, she toyed with his ears as his hands linked around the small of her back. Leaning her forehead on his shoulder, she murmured softly, knowing he'd hear her, "I'm Kagome. And you are?"

He laughed softly, stroking her back as she did his ears, then replied, "Inuyasha. Nice to meet you. Are you always this friendly?"

Leaning back so that she could see his golden eyes, she grinned, then shook her head. "Only to the guys that are like me," she said in turn.

Surprise flashed across his face for a second, then understanding followed. "Mmmm... Are you here for a club?" he asked. Nodding, Kagome replied, "Archery."

Interest shone in his eyes at her answer. "Not many people bother to sign up for that club anymore; at least, no since Kikyo transferred here," he said.

"Really? And why not?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shrugged, then casually replied, "She's the best in the city. All of the surrounding cities have tried to defeat her numerous times in different competitions, but she always goes home with the gold. Still willing to try out?"

A devilish gleam had appeared in Kagome's eyes while she listened to Inuyasha. Nodding at his inquiry, she stepped back out of his arms, letting his arms settle around her hips instead.

"I wouldn't mind testing my abilities against her," she said, a slight undertone to her voice.

"Right, guys?" she asked, twisting slightly to look at her friends.

While Kagome had been busy with Inuyasha, Sango had struck up a conversation with ponytail boy, while Ayame was talking animatedly with her fellow wolf demon.

Turning at Kagome's question, they glanced at each other, the same gleam coming to their eyes. They grinned by way of agreement.

The guys looked at each other in mild confusion; obviously, there was something here they didn't understand.

Shrugging it off, each pair made their way to the booths set up along the common area. The Archery booth was next to the gym, where targets had been set up inside for the competitions. Many people were practicing with the targets already; members from the previous year, Kagome guessed.

Walking up to the booth with Inuyasha's arm still around her waist, the her hand in his back pocket, Kagome noticed that Kikyo was manning the booth with another girl. Raising an eyebrow, Kagome decided she was gonna have a little fun...

Kikyo looked up from where she had sat talking to Kagura about the latest editions of hot guys to school. Both had agreed unanimously that Inuyasha Taisho, Miroku Aoyama, and Kouga Ikezawa, seniors all, were still firmly on the top of the list, as always.

Then she had felt someone staring at her, and looked up, only to receive the shock of a lifetime.

Kagome, the bitch who had ripped her new skirt out of spite, had somehow managed to snag the hottest guy in school! He was hanging on to her, his arm wrapped around her waist, hand splayed possessively across her stomach, which was bare thanks to her shirt, his head leaning down so he could talk to her level.

As Kikyo watched, Kagome casually reached up and fondled one of Inuyasha's ears. And her let her! That slut of a bitch, the new girl who thought she could just walk into _her_ school and take over her territory!

Kikyo noticed they were heading over to her direction, and an idea struck her. _Why don't we see just how good the new girl is at archery...?_

Kagome had noticed Kikyo's eyes narrowing and had sensed her body tensing for action, but she had ignored the jealous girl.

Instead, she had casually reached up to fondle one of Inuyasha's ears, loving the slight purring sound he made and watching his eyes glaze over faintly, eyelids drooping so that he looked sexy and faintly sleepy. Kagome opted for the latter.

Just then, Kikyo called them over. "Hey, new girl, Kagome isn't it?" The three pairs turned. Kagome just raised an eyebrow, silently acknowledging Kikyo's presence.

Kikyo blushed slightly under all of the baleful looks she was receiving, but continued, doggedly determined to act upon her plan to humiliate Kagome.

"Why don't you try your hand at the Archery club? The efforts can be quite rewarding, if you practice and train hard enough," she said, managing to keep the gleeful look off her face.

Kagome knew instantly what Kikyo's plan was, but decided to go with it, if only to see Miss Perfect knocked on her ass again. Shrugging, Kagome walked over.

"Why not? Do I have to do a trial run or anything?" she asked. Kikyo was almost bouncing off the walls in triumph; the stupid bitch had fallen for it!

Seeing that Kagome was giving her a strange look, Kikyo quickly remembered the question and answered.

"Um, yes, we need to assess your abilities so that we'll know if you can become good enough to join permanently," she replied. Of course, it was all a load of bullshit, and she knew it. But Kagome didn't, and that was all that mattered.

"If you'll follow me please," Kikyo said graciously, indicating the gym. Kagome followed silently, aware that her friends and companions were following as well. With a wave of her hand, Kikyo cleared the practice area that had been full of people, then motioned to the bows and quivers of arrows lined up against the wall. "After you," she said.

Kagome walked over to them, scrutinizing them slowly. Finally, after a few minutes deliberation, she chose the second to last of the bows, and the first of the quivers. Kikyo was surprised; those were the best of the training equipment. Maybe this girl wasn't as untrained as she thought...

Shaking off the thought, Kikyo retrieved her own equipment, then walked over to the first of the targets, set 50 feet away. "This is the beginning course. We'll start here," Kikyo said. Kagome shrugged, then stepped back as Kikyo aimed and fired.

The arrow hit slightly to the left of the bulls-eye, barely an inch off. Smiling triumphantly, she stepped back and motioned for Kagome to take her turn.

Stepping up, Kagome fell into her trained firing stance, left hand gripping the bow, with her index finger pointing out for aim, her right hand pulling back the arrow. Sighting down the line, she widened her stance a slight bit, then released the arrow.

A faint pink shimmer, noticed only by Kagome's friends and Kikyo, glowed around the tip as it struck dead center. Relaxing, Kagome judged the distance from the target to where she was standing. Then she turned to an astonished Kikyo.

"Do you think you could make the next one a little more challenging? I've been hitting bulls-eyes from this distance since I was seven. How about 100 yards?" Kagome questioned. Kikyo's eyes were wide as saucers.

100-yard targets were only for the experts, not quite pros, but almost. This girl truly thought she was that good? Kikyo, a small sneer on her pretty face, motioned for Kagome to come.

As she started to follow, a pair of arms came up behind her, circling her waist and giving her a small squeeze for encouragement. Tipping her head back, Kagome smiled into Inuyasha's eyes, then leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked outside, unmindful of the growing crowd.

They were following the procession of a sneering Kikyo, a blissful Kagome and Inuyasha, a fuming Sango and a slightly battered Miroku, and a blushing Kouga and Ayame.

The first of many showdowns was just beginning...

**A/N**: Second chapter, revamped. Not much changed here, but I will slow the relationships down a bit.

_**-S.S.S.**_


	3. The Dance Team

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Three: The Dance Team

Kikyo brought the entire procession to a halt outside, two targets barely visible in the distance. 100 yards... the distance of a football field! The crowd gaped; they were gonna shoot from that distance and expect to hit the targets!

Kikyo turned around, smirking, but stopped short at the sight of all three couples making out.

"Do you mind! I'm trying to have a decent competition here!" she yelled at them.

Inuyasha looked up, annoyance clearly visible on his face. "Just cause you're jealous doesn't mean you can take it out on us," he replied, aggravated. "Can we just get this over with?"

Kagome smiled up at him slowly, amused at the laughing look in his eyes as he looked at Kikyo. Then the comment about jealousy registered, and she turned to look at Kikyo as well. Was it possible these two had some history? She frowned at that, then shrugged. As long as Kikyo didn't try anything, Kagome was fine with it.

"Well, as you can see," Kikyo stated, "the targets are already in place. I usually practice on these everyday after school." This wasn't entirely true; usually it was about once or twice a week, but they didn't have to know that. Smiling evilly, she looked at Kagome's face, hoping to intimidate her.

What she got instead was a determined look as Kagome stepped up, preparing for the final battle of skills. Before firing, however, she turned to look at her two friends. Confusingly, all three smiled at each other, as if sharing a secret. Then she turned back and took her stance, sighting down the arrow.

Not once did she waver; her hands were as steady as a rock. Pulling back the arrow, she released it just as the target shifted slightly to the right. Where it would have hit dead center once again, now it was in the second ring of the bulls-eyes. Staring at the target in disbelief, Kagome stepped back, her hands slack at her sides.

A sudden suspicion rose in her mind and she glanced at Kikyo, who had an innocent expression on her face. "Whoops, guess you missed! Maybe you just need a little more practice," she insinuated. With a smile sweet as sugar, and just as deadly, she took her own stance and prepared to fire at her own target.

It hit the target with a thud, once again a bare inch away from the bulls-eye. Smiling beatifically, she bowed to the crowd, who was applauding. Turning to Kagome, who wasn't looking at her, but at the target, she smirked in triumph.

"Maybe you need to train a little bit more," she suggested in a honeyed tone. "Then you'll be good enough to join, after you face me again, of course."

Kikyo was surprised when Kagome smiled, obviously amused. "_I_ need more training?" she said dryly. "I've been training longer than you can imagination, in so many different things..." Kagome trailed off, shaking her head. "But you don't need to know about things like that. The point is, I _know_ I can win against you. When you don't cheat, that is." The last part made everyone gasp.

Deciding to make her point, while Kikyo was still gaping, Kagome took a stance again, and fired off another arrow towards her target. Instead of only shooting for target practice, though, she put more power into, but only to reveal what was in hiding.

The arrow flew to the target, a pink stream of power flowing around, and hit the target. But instead of just quivering there like a normal arrow, it exploded in a small ball of light. When it disappeared, the only thing left remaining was a small machine on wheels, quietly running on a portable generator. As the rest of the crowd stood gaping, Kagome turned back to Kikyo.

Reaching out, she grabbed Kikyo by the wrist and hauled her forward. "If you fuck with me like that again, I will personally kick... your... ass," she whispered, so as not to let anyone else hear. "Got that?" Kikyo nodded, but whirled away in an angry huff.

Kagome just shook her head, then did one more stance and fired at Kikyo's target. Kikyo stopped dead when she heard it strike her target with another solid thud. Turning, she saw Kagome's arrow, still quivering slightly.

It had gone straight through her own, to strike dead center.

"Never underestimate me," Kagome commented quietly. "Some of my surprises can turn out to be quite... painful." With that, she turned and walked to Inuyasha. He was standing on the edges of the crowd with the other two couples, his arms crossed and a proud grin confidently on display.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, they walked back to school with the others, ignoring all the whispers and awed looks they were receiving. After all, you got used to it when you expected nothing less.

* * *

Kagome yawned and looked at the clock. Five more minutes until the bell rang. Good.

She was dead tired; all of the training she had done with Sango last night had taken a lot out of her. And it was Ayame's turn tonight... Kagome sighed, then tried to ignore the sound of Kikyo's annoying voice as the afternoon announcements came on.

"Good afternoon, I trust you all had a wonderful day! Club sign-ups are over, so if you didn't get in the club you wanted this year, don't forget to try again next year! Lists of members for all clubs are now posted outside the cafeteria, so don't for get to check the sheets."

Kagome rolled her eyes. Was it just her, or had Kikyo's voice gotten a little tight at that last remark?

"Don't forget girls, Cheerleading try-outs are today after school, so be sure to be there!"

Kagome snorted this time. As if! No way in hell would she ever jump around in those tight ass little skirts for guys to gawk at. And those cheers... Kagome groaned. Good god! Who thought those things up? Geeks Across The Nation?

"On a new note, there will be a new team starting this year. The Dance Team! The new dance teacher, Miss Souten, will supervise try-outs. They will be this afternoon as well, after Cheerleading try-outs. Be sure to bring a comfortable pair of clothes that you can move in, and music will be provided. So be sure to stop by the gym and give it a shot!"

Kagome raised a brow at this. A dance team? A smile slipped across her face. Dancing had always been a favorite way of hers to relax after a hard training session. Of course, Sango and Ayame always went with her when she went clubbing, so they enjoyed it as well. It didn't sound like a bad idea; not a bad one at all...

When the bell rang, signaling the end of school, Kagome was the first out the door. Running up to her locker, she found Inuyasha already there. Giving him a wicked grin and a kiss hello, she stuffed her books in her locker and leaned back to wait for her friends.

"Well, aren't we frisky this afternoon," Inuyasha commented. "What's gotten you all riled up?"

Kagome merely smiled and looked around for her friends. It wasn't a long wait, for they came up a few minutes later. Kagome noticed the looks on Sango and Ayame's faces immediately.

"So you guys heard the announcement and had the same idea, huh?" she questioned. They nodded, and all three grinned at each other in that mysterious way again, leaving the guys bewildered once more. Glancing at each other, they raised their brows and shrugged.

Noticing the looks, Kagome turned around and addressed all of them. "We all like to dance. For a few years now, we've been going out clubbing and have gotten pretty good at it, so we decided to go try out for the dance team," she explained.

Miroku and Kouga nodded, but their looks were lecherous as they looked at their respective girlfriends. It was clear what they were thinking to Kagome and Inuyasha. Obviously, from the red handprints the two were sporting a few seconds later, so did Ayame and Sango.

Shaking his head in disgust, Inuyasha hooked an arm around Kagome's shoulders and was about to walk to the gym when a voice from behind stopped them.

"So you're gonna go out for the dance team too? That should be funny to watch, you humiliating yourself in front of everybody!" It was Kikyo, and she was already dressed for try-outs, by the looks of the outfit she was wearing.

A tight fitting half-shirt covered the upper half of her chest and left her stomach and abs bare. An extremely short pair of shorts and tennis shoes completed the outfit.

"I'll be sure to be there for your try-outs. After all, I'm going to try out as well. Hopefully, by the end of the day, I'll be captain of the Cheerleading Squad _and_ the Dance Team!" Smirking, she walked off, nose in the air.

Unfortunately, she didn't notice the two teachers carrying part of the set for the new play as they rounded the corner. Kikyo crashed right into them, knocking her flat on her ass.

They couples burst out laughing, unable to contain it at the sight of the "perfect" Kikyo on her butt and covered in wet paint from the still drying piece of scenery. Standing up, she tried to walk away with as much dignity as possible, but slipped in a puddle of paint that had spilled from a can one of the teachers was carrying.

Of course, this landed her right back on her butt and sent the couples off on another wave of hysteria.

When they had finally calmed down enough to be coherent, Kikyo had managed to salvage what was left of her pride and disappear.

Shaking her head and still chuckling slightly, Kagome looked at Sango and Ayame. The girls shook their heads in agreement, then each grabbed their respective guy and started dragging them away.

"Whoa! Were are you taking us off to?" Inuyasha demanded. Kagome smiled at him sweetly over her shoulder.

"No where important, just where we go when we've got nothing better to do. And as try-outs don't start till five, we've got a couple hours to kill," she replied. Inuyasha just grinned and allowed her to drag him away.

_This girl just gets even more interesting as the day goes on..._ Looking at Miroku and Kouga, he noticed the same thought flashing across their faces. Grinning, he followed along behind Kagome. _I hope it just keeps on getting better... And that she totally kicks Kikyo's ass! Damn bitch is annoying as hell..._

That was the last thought he had before they were outside. Still dragging the boys behind them, Kagome went to her Mustang, Ayame to her Stratus, and Sango to her Corvette. Pealing out, they didn't make it back till five till five. But what they did in the meantime...

**A/N**: Chapter three, revamped. Starting after this chapter, I'm going to slow things down

_**-S.S.S.**_


	4. Separate Apartments

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Four: Separate Apartments

Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome from the passenger seat of her black Mustang. She was driving, which disgruntled him no little bit. A smile was playing around the corners of her mouth as she drove through Tokyo, occasionally glancing in her rearview mirror to make sure Ayame and Sango were still behind them.

"Are you ever gonna tell me where we're going?" he finally asked, unable to stop himself. When she finally looked at him, the smile broke through, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Like I said, no where special. Just a place where me, Sango, Ayame, and a few... others hang out every once in a while."

There was something in her tone that Inuyasha couldn't quite place, but forgot about when they pulled up in front of a building. Climbing out of the car, Inuyasha stopped in surprise when he noticed that it was a famous first-class hotel, the Emerald Garden. Ignoring him, Kagome leaned against her car and waited for Sango and Ayame.

A few minutes later, Sango pulled up in her cherry-red Corvette. She immediately jumped out, face red with anger. Miroku followed more slowly, sporting a red handprint on his face. Unbelievably, though, he was still grinning.

Storming towards Kagome's direction, who was grinning and watching from a distance with an equally amused Inuyasha.

Sango huffed, then spun around to yell at Miroku. "You damn PERVERT! Can't you keep your hands to yourself for five fucking minutes!" she yelled, hands balled into fists at her sides.

Kagome's grin faded when she noticed Sango's stance. She walked up to stand slightly behind Sango, cautioning her with her presence to cool it down a bit. Sango noticed immediately, relaxed, took a deep breath, and barely nodded at Kagome, letting her know she understood. Relaxing her own stance, Kagome turned to look for Ayame and Kouga, then burst out laughing.

The couple had driven up without anyone noticing, when they had been distracted by Miroku and Sango. Currently, they two were glued to each other, Ayame leaning against her silver Stratus, while Kouga pressed them together tightly. Oblivious to Kagome practically rolling on the ground, they were in their own little world until Inuyasha cleared his throat.

Looking up, Kouga raised an eyebrow in question. Motioning to the rest of the group, Inuyasha walked back to Kagome.

Once the group had reassembled, the guys turned to look at the hotel. "This is where you guys hang out?" Inuyasha asked in confusion. "Yup," Ayame answered, a strange note of pride in her voice. Noticing his confused look, Kagome explained.

"Actually, this place serves two purposes. All three of us live here, first off. So now you know where to go if you wanna find us," Kagome said, winking at Inuyasha. He smiled wickedly in response, which made her roll her eyes.

"Secondly, we wanna show you a part of our lives that only a few select people know about. So consider yourselves lucky," she said in a warning tone.

The guys glanced at each other, then nodded at the girls. Kagome started towards the front entrance first, followed by Inuyasha and the other two couples.

Nodding at the doorman, who had recognized the girls and opened the door, the couples walked inside.

Gazing around in amazement, the guys admired the front lobby. It was decorated spaciously, yet tastefully.

Beige colored carpet covered the floor, with dark brown and black leather couches spread out across the lobby. Polished wooden coffee tables were placed artistically around the room as well.

The entire right wall was, surprisingly, an indoor waterfall. Water cascaded down the wall, to fall into a shallow pool, where coins glistened through the water like gold.

Elevators and emergency stairs were on the left wall, while the main desk was against the back wall. Behind the main desk was a set of large double doors, which bore the hotel insignia, a wolf in profile running, in solid gold. Suddenly, the doors opened and a man stepped out.

He was taller that the average person, but not as tall as Miroku, Kouga, and Inuyasha. Short cut black hair framed his bright blue eyes, which brightened even more, if possible, when he saw the girls, Kagome in particular.

Kagome spun around and aimed a pleading glance at Ayame, her eyes wide as saucers and rimmed with tears. Rolling her own eyes in disgust, Ayame separated herself from Kouga and proceeded to intercept the man, who was heading in their direction. Latching onto one of his arms and ignoring his protests like the way Kagome was ignoring his pleading eyes, Ayame dragged him back through the double doors.

Before Kouga had a chance to make his own protests, Ayame was back, beaming her usual 100-watt smile. "So, shall we continue?" she asked brightly, hooking her arm around Kouga's waist.

Growling possessively, her hauled her to his side and wouldn't let go. Ayame merely smiled, then aimed a comment towards Kagome as they walked to the elevators.

"Oh, and Kagome?" Kagome raised an eyebrow in question this time.

"You owe me one," Ayame replied. Kagome nodded, but shook her head in response to Inuyasha's questioning look.

The couples boarded an elevator, and Sango pressed the button for the 13th floor. Miroku had a surprised look on his face after she did this.

Noticing, Sango laughed, then decided to explain.

"Everyone seems to have such a stupid superstition about living on the 13th floor of a building! We are actually the only one's who'll live on this floor; everyone else refuses to. So we have the entire floor to ourselves!" Sango said laughingly. Unfortunately, she didn't notice the perverted grin that spread across Miroku's face at that announcement...

That is, until she caught his reflection in the mirror-like surface of the elevator door. A vein twitching in her forehead, she turned around and smacked him once again, yelling, "HENTAI!" Inuyasha and Kouga just shook their heads in disgust, while Kagome and Ayame giggled. Sango's face was still red with embarrassment when the elevator opened to the 13th floor.

The girls each grabbed their respective guy (Sango dragged Miroku by his collar) to the doors of their apartments.

Kagome dug in her pocket and produced a set of keys, which she used to unlock the door, the first one on the left. "This apartment's mine," she said over her shoulder as she walked in.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, then asked, "You all have separate apartments?" Kagome nodded, then pulled him inside and shut the door. "We all have to change first. You can look around while I take a quick shower. Be back in a minute!" she called back to him, then walked through a door at the end of the hall.

Inuyasha wondered around the apartment. The main color scheme seemed to be green and white. In the living room, a big screen TV stood in the corner, next to a pair of sliding glass doors. He opened them and stepped out onto a balcony.

The view was wonderful. Inuyasha could see a park a few miles away; the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. He sank into a lounge chair to enjoy the view more fully, and was fast asleep a few minutes later.

* * *

Ayame had led Kouga to the second apartment on the right. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and was about to flip on the light switch when she was pushed back against the wall. "Kouga, wha-"

She was cut off when he sealed his mouth over hers. Dropping the keys on the floor, she grabbed a hold of his arms and closed her eyes, responding to his kiss. His tongue rubbed against her lower lip, and she opened her mouth, giving him access. He slipped inside, sipping at her lips like they were nectar. Arms wrapped around each other, they backed up into the living room and fell on the couch.

Ayame moaned when Kouga's mouth parted from hers and slipped across her cheek, kissing every inch of the way. Soon, his lips found the pulse beating frantically at the base of her throat. He licked, delicately, and she shivered in response. His hands tunneled under her shirt, touching bare skin for the first time. This time, it was Kouga's turn to shiver. When he began pushing up her shirt and kissing his way down her collarbone, she finally came back to her senses.

She groaned in misery and sat up, sliding off the couch and onto the floor. Sitting there, panting, Ayame turned to look at Kouga, who was leaning back against the couch and gasping for air as well. She gave a weak grin, then stood up.

Leaning down, she gave him a brief kiss, then whispered, "Next time." He looked at her with dark eyes, then grinned briefly as well.

Turning, she walked down the hall, saying over her shoulder, "I'll be back in a few minutes, just let me change really quick."

Once she was gone, Kouga leaned his head back with a sigh. Wincing, he reached down and adjusted his jeans. _Hopefully, I won't have to adjust for long..._ he thought wickedly.

* * *

Sango went into the kitchen and grabbed two cans of coke out of the fridge. Turning around to go back in the living room, she ran smack into Miroku's chest. He grabbed her arms to prevent her from falling backwards, but this only caused her to fall into his arms instead.

Blushing faintly, she tried to pull out of his grip, but stopped when she felt his arms wrap around her waist. She froze when he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"I really like you Sango. No matter what I may act like sometimes, I respect you and your body. It's just..."He trailed off for a second, then tightened his arms and continued. "It's just that sometimes, you look so beautiful, and I can't control myself. And I-"

He was stopped mid-sentence when Sango leaned up and wrapped her arms around his head (dropping the cokes in the process...), yanking him down to press her mouth against his.

Miroku stood still for a few seconds, then lifted her up slightly and opened his mouth, rubbing his tongue against her lips. Sango let out a low moan and opened her own mouth, letting his tongue sweep inside to rub against hers.

Stumbling a little, he backed her up against the fridge. He ran his hands across her back, then underneath her shirt. Sango shivered a little in reaction, then tugged up his own shirt and ran her hands across his flat, muscular abs.

Miroku groaned at the feel of her soft hands caressing his skin. His touch moved to her front, his right hand running up her stomach. Just before he reached his destination, she grabbed his hand and squeezed.

Lifting his head slightly, panting shallowly, he looked into her glazed eyes and smirked. Sango blinked a few times to focus her gaze. Seeing the smirk, she rolled her eyes.

Releasing her hold on him, she waited for him to step back. He let her go slowly, but leaned down to press a hard kiss against her lips before letting go entirely.

Satisfied, he turned around and picked up a can of coke from the floor. Popping the top, he wondered into the living room, where he plopped on the couch and turned on the TV.

Sango shook her head, then went to her bedroom to change. _He's going to be trouble, I can just feel it_, she thought. A smirk of her own crossed her face. _But that's ok, I happen to like bad boys..._

* * *

Kagome walked into the living room, toweling her hair dry and looking for Inuyasha. Noticing the sliding glass doors open partially, she went to them and peeked outside.

_He's asleep!_ she thought. Stepping silently outside, she took a seat next to him. Gazing at him, she noticed how peaceful he looked.

_He looks so...young_, she thought, smiling softly. Leaning forward, she reached up to brush his bangs aside. As she was pulling back, he opened his eyes, startling her.

Quickly getting over her start, she grinned and began to get up, but he grabbed her hand and tugged, pulling her off balance. She landed in his lap, now laughing breathlessly.

Grinning triumphantly, he shifted her until she was straddling his waist. Then he arranged her until she was leaning on the arms of the chair. This, of course, left her vulnerable to attack...

He brought his knees up behind her, which made her slip forward. She squirmed when she felt a hardness beneath her, evidence of his desire for her.

Inuyasha groaned, then grabbed her hips to stop the squirming. Kagome looked up into his eyes. They were a molten gold, burning with hidden fires. She smiled mischievously, then rolled her hips forward.

He moaned and tightened his grip, but then relaxed it as she rolled her hips again. Leaning down, she whispered in his ear, "If I'm not allowed to touch you..." She motioned to her hands where they were resting on the arms of the chairs. "Then you can't stop me from moving other parts of my body," she finished.

At this, Inuyasha snapped his head up to look her in the eyes. A wicked glint appeared in his eyes for a second before she felt his hands slip under her shirt.

A split second later, she realized what he was going to do, and rolled her hips again, this time not stopping in between each roll. Inuyasha started to pant. Retrieving one hand from under her shirt, he reached up and pulled her face down to his, melding their mouths together.

Kagome immediately opened her mouth, letting him in to explore. While their mouths dueled, she kept up the steady rocking while his hands slipped up her stomach. Reaching her bra, he unsnapped the front hook and pushed the material aside. Cupping one breast, he rubbed a thumb across the nipple, causing her to gasp and writhe.

Inuyasha hissed out a few choice curses, then kissed her hard, rubbing their tongues together while she resumed rocking, this time speeding up.

He could feel the tightening at the base of his spine, spreading to form a ball of fire in the pit of his stomach, and pulled back. Looking into Kagome's half-lidded eyes, he noticed her trembling. Grabbing her hips with both hands, he stopped the motion and leaned forward, resting his head against her breasts.

"Why did you stop?" The question came out breathlessly. Grinning ruefully, he stood up, letting her slip down to stand on her own two feet. He grabbed her hand and hobbled back into the apartment.

Reaching down, he adjusted his jeans to a more comfortable position, trying to relieve some of the pressure. Finally, he answered her.

"For a couple reasons. One, I didn't want to give any of your neighbors a peep show." She digested this, then nodded for him to continue.

"Two, we are scheduled to leave in about five minutes." Glancing at her watch, she nodded again.

"And three, I was about to explode, and I didn't want our first time together to be in a lounge chair on your balcony. Though we can try it there, if you want." At that, they both grinned at each other.

Glancing at her watch again, she motioned to the door. "You're right, it's time to go and meet the others in the lobby. Ready?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded, and they headed out the door.

At the elevator, he grabbed her hand and hauled her to his side. Smiling into each other's eyes, the two went to meet their friends.

**A/N**: Chapter four, revamped. Ok…so I haven't really slowed their relationship down much, but it'll be a while after this chapter till they finally get anywhere serious.

-**_S.S.S._**


	5. Burn

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Five: Burn

It wasn't until they had reached the lobby and Inuyasha noticed the other boy's stares that the outfits registered. Then it was his turn to gape.

The girls had separated themselves from the guys and had moved to a corner of the lobby. Each sported black, mid-thigh shorts, which, of course, hugged every curve perfectly. Their shirts, however...

Sango was wearing a hot pink tank top that stopped just above her belly button. Ayame was wearing a lavender tank top that fell to a point over her stomach, but only a band of material kept it in place around the back. And last but not least, Kagome was wearing a dark green shirt, that only had one sleeve, which was sleeveless (like a tank top!), leaving the other shoulder bare. To complete the outfit, each had black tennis shoes and a black hoodie wrapped around their waists.

While the boys were staring in amazement, the three suddenly laughed and broke up, walking back to their boyfriends.

Kagome, with an amused glint in her eyes, gently closed Inuyasha's mouth and kissed him. That seemed to snap him out of his daze, and he wrapped his arms around her, joining in.

Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Kagome turned. Sango and Ayame, safely tucked away in their own guy's arms, were grinning like idiots. Shaking her head and muttering about _immature friends_, Kagome dragged Inuyasha back to the elevators. The other two couples followed closely behind.

"Wait! Why are we going back to the elevators? We just got down here!" Inuyasha was confused. And from the looks Kouga and Miroku were exchanging, so were they.

The girls just shushed the boys and boarded into the last elevator. When the doors closed, Kagome pushed the emergency stop button, then reached into the front pocket of the hoodie hanging around her waist.

Removing her keys, she opened the maintenance box near the buttons. Inside were the usual wires running to and fro, but Kagome just pushed them aside and inserted a key into a hidden keyhole. When she twisted it sharply to the right, the lights in the elevator went out, and a blacklight came on. The boys swayed a little as it began descending as well.

Kagome, Ayame, and Sango turned to grin mischievously at the boys. Each girl now sported shoes that had white highlights, along with their hairbands. Their fingernails glowed blue, green, and purple also. What really stumped the boys, however, were the blue, green, and purple highlights in the girl's hair...

The girls looked... different, to say the least. They glanced at each other and grinned. The colors were standard, something they had become accustomed to after two years. Of course, the boys didn't know that.

The elevator stopped a few seconds later. When the doors opened, the group was blasted with sound, the floor and walls pulsing with the beat of the music. The girls walked out of the elevator, the music a normal occurrence with them, while the boys hesitated a few before following.

Looking around, they noticed that they were in a lounge. And they weren't alone. People were spread out across the room, at the bar against the wall, dancing on the dance floor, or just walking around and chatting.

The girls headed straight to the bar. Taking a seat, Kagome signaled the bartender, then spun around on her stool and waited for Inuyasha. Leaning back, she rested her elbows on the bar and grinned wickedly at him.

Inuyasha strolled up to the bar, followed by Kouga and Miroku. When he saw the smile Kagome directed his way, he grinned in response and stopped directly in front of her. He cocked his head to one side, giving her a questioning look.

"Welcome," she said, "to Burn." Before Inuyasha could comment, the bartender, a girl with black hair and beautiful ruby eyes, set a glass down near Kagome's elbow. Kagome grabbed it and downed half of the golden liquid in it in one gulp. "Thanks Kagura."

The girl, Kagura, grinned and gave a small salute. "No prob, boss," she replied. Rolling her eyes, Kagome turned to a bemused Inuyasha. "So, whatcha want, slick?" Kagura asked.

Inuyasha shook his head, then sat down on a stool next to Kagome. "A scotch, on the rocks," he replied. Nodding, Kagura reached under the bar and pulled out a bottle, twirling it expertly in one hand while filling up a glass with ice with the other hand.

Pouring the liquor into the glass, Kagura set it down in front of Inuyasha with a flourish. "Enjoy," she said with a wink. Whistling, she sauntered off to the other end of the bar, ready to serve.

Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other, then burst out laughing. "Is she always like that?" Inuyasha asked, still chuckling. "Pretty much," Kagome replied. Turning to Inuyasha, Kagome was about to ask him a question, but Ayame and Sango suddenly appeared out of nowhere at her elbow.

"It's almost time, Kagome!" Ayame chirped. "Come on, we gotta get into position." The said, both grabbed an and dragged Kagome away. She twisted around and sent an apologetic look towards Inuyasha, but he just laughed.

A few minutes later, the music stopped, and a blacklight flared on, focused on the center of the dancing area. Three figures stood posed, top hats pulled down low to cover their eyes as the looked down, one hand on the brims. The highlights and their outfits were more noticeable than ever. They stood there, motionless, until music blared out of nowhere.

Britney Spears' _Toxic_ had never been danced to quite like _this_ before...

The hats were the first to go. Flipped out, then rolled down the right arm, they were dropped onto the ground, then kicked away. The girls spun around, dropped into splits, then leaped up, hips rolling outward.

Inuyasha felt himself start to sweat as he watched Kagome move. Flicking a glance towards Miroku and Kouga, he noticed they were in the same predicament. Groaning softly, he switched positions, trying to relieve the pressure building in his jeans. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to focus on the dance itself and not who was doing the dancing.

After watching for a few seconds, he had to admit that they were excellent dancers. From the moment they began moving, the audience was enthralled. Breathing deeply, Inuyasha unconsciously focused on Kagome once more.

Hands raised in the air, the girls just let their hips move, heads thrown back in concentration. Twirling suddenly, Kagome dropped to one knee, right leg extended out and her right hand braced on the floor. Sango stopped behind her left shoulder, left leg straight while the right one also extended in front of her, her left hand braced on her left thigh and her right one splayed across her stomach. Ayame froze behind Kagome's right shoulder, legs together, hips thrust out, left arm resting on her head and cupping her right elbow.

The move took all of five seconds as the girls froze for the end of the song. The regular lights flared back on as the spotlight disappeared and the audience applauded. Wolf whistles and catcalls echoed around the room as the girls separated and went to their guys.

Ayame walked up to Kouga, who was sitting on a couch with his head hanging between his knees. She was concerned, because he was dragging in gulps of air and shaking slightly. "Kouga? You okay?" she asked him. Without a word, he grabbed her hand and dragged her to a dark corner. Ayame wasn't worried now, though. She had caught a glimpse of his face when he stood up, and realized that maybe the dance was a little _too_ much for him.

Sango sat down next to Miroku at the bar and ordered a beer. "So, whatcha think?" she asked casually. Miroku didn't answer. Glancing at him, she realized that hadn't so much as blinked when she sat down. "Hello? Anybody there?" Sango tapped against the side of his head.

In a whirlwind of sudden motion, he grabbed her hand and pulled her across his lap. Sango's eyes widened when he began to kiss her, but closed her eyes when she felt his problem pressing impatiently against her hip. _I guess the dance was pushing it a little for him right now..._ was her last thought before Miroku drowned everything else out.

Kagome and Inuyasha, on the other hand, were doing something completely different. "On that second to last turn, your hips need to come out a little more. Like this." Inuyasha demonstrated by pulling her hips against his, then thrusting his out at the correct angle. Kagome copied the movement and felt the change of stance that went with it.

"I get it! That forces me to move to the halfway point of my next move, giving me more time to get in position for the freeze! Thanks so much for the advice, Inuyasha. I didn't know you were watching that closely!" Inuyasha smiled slightly and brushed off the praise.

"No problem. Besides, the dance wasn't the only thing I was watching closely..." Having said that, her pulled her close and leaned in for a kiss.

Before his lips could touch hers thought, a short beeping and a vibration against her leg made Kagome back off. "Shit! Not now!" Cursing, she dug into the pocket of her hoodie and pulled out a cell phone. Seeing the flashing number across the screen, Kagome cursed even more loudly. "Fuck!" A confused Inuyasha just looked on while a pissed Kagome looked around the room, searching for her friends.

A few seconds later, "Oh, HELL no!" and "God DAMMIT!" rang out. Smiling grimly, Kagome headed to the center of the room, followed closely by Inuyasha. Ayame, followed by a disbelieving Kouga, and Sango, with a heartwrenchingly pitiful Miroku dragging along behind her, appeared at the same time. Kagome, still with a grim smile, peered around at the bedraggled group and said, "He picks the damnedest times, doesn't he?"

**A/N**: Chapter five, revamped. Like I said, going to slow waaaaayyyyy down….right.

-**_S.S.S._**


	6. Tryouts and Plans

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

Hidden Fires 

Chapter Six: Try-outs and Plans

_Evil...evil...evil...EVIL GERBIL!_ screamed Kagome in her mind. The animal was sitting in a small cage on the corner of the boss's desk. "Are you listening to me, Kagome?" She winced when she heard his silky voice and felt his hot breath puff in her ear.

"Yes, sir," she replied, forcing her voice to be calm and steady. "Good." Kagome glanced back at the furry creature in the cage. Its beady red eyes were locked on her in a hungry fascination. Shuddering in disgust, Kagome looked down, her gaze falling onto her watch.

And almost fell out of her chair in shock. It was 4:40 already! If they rushed, they could make it back to the high school in time, but only if they left right then...

Three binders slapped onto the desk, causing the girls to jump. Ayame and Sango were seated on either side of Kagome. Glancing at both of them, Kagome reached forward, grabbing the binders off the desk, passing Ayame and Sango's theirs.

"These are your assignments. We'll make the next hit when the guards change shift on the night of the next new moon." Kagome glanced up at their boss. "But that's Wednesday! We won't have enough time!" "Then make time," was his reply.

Shaking her head, Kagome stood up, followed by Sango and Ayame. Bowing respectfully, they turned to leave. "Don't disappoint me, girls." Pausing, they said in unison, "We won't."

Hurrying out of the warehouse, their conferred meeting place, the girls hurried to their respective cars and hopped in. When the boss had called, they had had to leave the boys at the hotel. Now, they had to go pick them up, then go back to school, and make it in time for the try-outs. Whew!

From an upstairs window, a figure stood, watching the girls speed away. Reaching, he picked up the phone, then dialed a number. After the first ring, it was picked up. "Next Tuesday, midnight." Hanging up the phone, Naraku turned to his desk. Sitting in his seat, he laced his fingers together and let out a low chuckle, his red eyes flashing in the dark room.

* * *

Inuyasha paced back and forth in front of Kouga and Miroku. "Man, what's taking them so long? At this rate, we'll never make it back in time!" Miroku complained. "Shut your trap, monk. They'll be here, don't worry." This order came from Inuyasha, as he continued to pace impatiently.

"Inuyasha!" His head snapped up at the sound of his name being called. Kagome stood in the doorway of the lobby, motioning for the boys to come. "Come on, we gotta move it!" she yelled. The boys quickly joined her at the doors and split up to go to their girlfriend's cars. Climbing inside, they set off for the high school.

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome; she was concentrating on driving. "So, you gonna tell me who called you away and why?" She sent a somewhat startled look in his direction, then went back to focusing on the road. "Oh, that. Don't worry about it, my mom just needed me to go pick something up for her from the store." Inuyasha gave her a disbelieving look. "Something that required all three of you going and leaving us behind?" She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Well, yeah," she said, lamely.

Sighing, Inuyasha shook his head. "All right. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Glancing down, he noticed a black binder in the floor on the passenger's side. It had flipped open, so he could see that it was a list of some sort, but the only words he was able to make out were 'National Museum of Art', 'midnight', and 'new moon'. Why would Kagome want to go there at midnight, of all times? And on a new moon? Kagome, seeing him looking at something, glanced over to see the black binder lying open.

Quickly, she reached down and picked it up, all the while keeping the car driving straight. "Oh, it's just a list of games, places to go, stuff like that. One of my cousins is having a birthday party soon," she lied. A look of understanding crossed Inuyasha's face. "Ok. Cool," he said. Leaning over, he gave her a peck on the cheek. Kagome looked at him and smiled, but it didn't make the guilty feeling go away.

The couples arrived at the high school at precisely five till five. Scrambling out of their cars, they raced for the gym. With only seconds to spare, they burst through the doors. Gasping for breath, they clutched each other, bent over from their exertions. A minute or two later, the girls stood up, determined looks on their faces. The trio was ready for...anything?

Kikyo was in the middle of her...performance, if you can call it that. Dressed in a bright pink tutu, she hopped around the gym floor, waving streamers like fans. The couples looked at each other, then burst out laughing. Unfortunately, it was loud enough to be heard over the Mozart blasting from the speakers. Abruptly, Kikyo's performance (**SSS:** snicker) came to a crashing halt.

A tall, willowy woman walked over to the group. Behind her, Kikyo smirked. The woman was obviously the teacher, Miss Souten. And from the looks of the scowl on her face, she didn't appreciate the interruption. "Do you mind! Miss Kikyo is giving her performance, and you're all distracting her genius!" She shrieked. The group glanced at each other, brows raised. Miss "Kikyo" had already reserved her place as teacher's pet, it seemed.

A quiet "Ahem" came from behind the tall woman. "It's quite all right, Miss Marge. New comers are always welcome." That being said, the new speaker stepped forward and identified herself. "I am Miss Souten. Please, come and have a seat. You may perform your set anytime you wish." Miss Souten was not as tall as Miss Marge, but she was beautiful all the same. Her smile radiated kindness, and she was obviously a very sweet woman.

Kagome smiled in relief; thankfully, Miss Souten was an altogether different person than Miss Marge. She stepped forward and introduced herself, as well. "Hello, Miss Souten. I'm Kagome. This is Sango, Ayame, and our boyfriends, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kouga. We've been looking forward to auditioning for the Dance Team ever since we heard about the opportunity this afternoon," she explained.

Miss Souten listened quietly, and nodded her head when Kagome finished. "Of course. We always welcome new potential. If you have a seat, you can perform in a few, if it's ok with you?" She asked politely. The girls nodded in unison. Miss Souten smiled, then pointed to a DJ in the booth above the scoreboard hanging on the wall next to them. "Go tell him what kind of music you dance to, then go change in the girl's locker rooms. Hurry, you'll be up soon!"

The girls immediately dashed into action. Ayame went to their locker on the third floor to retrieve their outfits, Sango told the DJ about the music, and Kagome stayed with the boys to check out the rest of the competition. As they sat down to watch, Kikyo's music began again, and she resumed her hopping around the floor. Kagome and the guys couldn't resist a few well-hidden chuckles; after all, she did resemble a dodo bird trying to learn how to fly...

A few moments later, Sango returned and joined them in the competition research. Most of the auditions were mediocre, at best. But there were a choice few that were well planned and timed. By the time it was their turn, Kagome had picked out about ten that would more than likely make it.

Suddenly, Ayame burst through the gym doors and headed to Kagome at high speed. "Kagome!" she gasped. "Our outfits are missing!" Kagome looked at her in shock for a few seconds, then glanced around wildly.

"B-but we're up next! What do we do!" Just as she was about to go into full-blown panic mode, Inuyasha stopped her by placing his hands on her shoulders. She glanced up at him, her eyes wide with distress. "Kagome."

Just that one word calmed her down a bit. "Yes...?" She asked. "What are you wearing?" he asked casually. "Our out-" she stopped. Suddenly, all three girls' faces bloomed bright red. "Oh, yeah," Kagome mumbled. "I knew that..." Ayame trailed off. "Mmmm..." was all Sango said.

Shaking their heads in mock disgust, but grinning all the same, the boys kissed their respective girls for good luck, then pushed them onto the floor. "Knock 'em dead," Inuyasha whispered in Kagome's ear before he went to sit down. As the lights dimmed and the spotlight appeared, Kagome grinned in satisfaction beneath the brim of her hat. _Not even Naraku can spoil this for me_, she thought. Then it was time to move.

* * *

Kikyo stood, mouth agape, at the back of the gym. She watched the girls move in synchronize, flowing like water. A green dragon reared its head, roaring its jealousy. _How **dare** they try to usurp my power here! I am in charge. I'm always in charge. And I'm definitely the prettiest. I mean, what does Inuyasha see in a girl like...like, that **slut**?_ Kikyo thought, pure venom leaking into her thoughts.

_If she hadn't come along, Inuyasha would have been MINE in just a few more weeks. But **no**. **She** had to come and ruin **everything**. Well, we'll just see about that..._

Unbeknownst to Kikyo, Kouga, Miroku, and Inuyasha were keeping a close eye on her. Seeing the evil looks she was sending Kagome, and the calculating look she had in her eyes, they knew she was up to something. She was always up to something, and more often than not, it wasn't pleasant. They knew, from past experiences, that she could utterly destroy a girl when she set her mind to it. And it looked like her next target was Kagome.

Miroku and Kouga turned to glance at Inuyasha; after all, it was _his_ girlfriend that Kikyo was plotting to do evil to. Much to their surprise, however, he just shook his head and smiled. Inuyasha knew that Kagome could take care of herself. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did.

The three boys turned back to the girls when they heard the end of the song. As they stood in their final position, Miss Souten applauded and smiled.

"Wonderful, girls, just wonderful! That was excellent! I can tell that you've put a lot of hard work into your routine, and that you've practiced frequently. As for the style, it's definitely modern, but you have hints of other cultures as well. I'm impressed!" she said with another beautiful smile. The girls grinned modestly, shaking their heads at her praise. Then Kikyo interjected.

"Now wait just a minute! You didn't praise my performance! And my set definitely had more _class_ than theirs did!" She said loudly. Miss Souten frowned slightly at Kikyo. "I don't judge performances on class, Miss Kikyo. I judge them on overall presentation, synchronization, and how well you play to the audience. Granted, your audition was...different, but that doesn't mean it was better. The girls worked hard on their moves, and practiced. That was what earned their praise," Miss Souten explained in a very polite voice.

Kikyo, an abashed expression on her face, retreated back to her place against the wall, but not before she sent Kagome a 'This isn't over!' look. Kagome just ignored her and turned back to Miss Souten.

"If you don't mind me asking, do you know when you'll be able to post the list for those who made the team?" She asked in an anxious voice. Miss Souten smiled gracefully at the girls, then asked, "Is the day after tomorrow soon enough?" Kagome smiled in gratitude, then ran to Inuyasha and jumped into his arms.

He caught her with a grin, then asked, "Ready to go home?" She nodded, snuggling her head into his shoulder. Digging into her back pocket, she dangled her car keys in his face. "Wanna drive?" she asked. Snatching them out of her hand, he walked to the gym door, still carrying her. Miroku and Kouga, on an unspoken signal, swept up their own girls, and, ignoring their short squeals of surprise, followed Inuyasha.

After the girls were settled in their respective cars, the boys drove back to the hotel. Escorting them to their rooms, the boys were invited inside, but each declined. Inuyasha pulled Kagome into his arms for a goodnight kiss, which lasted a good five minutes. When he came up for air, she wore a dazed expression and her lips were slightly swollen. Grinning cockily, he pushed her inside her apartment with a soft "Goodnight."

At Ayame's door, Kouga was also giving Ayame a "goodnight kiss." Except they got a little carried away. When Ayame realized they were still in the hallway, she tried to tug Kouga into her apartment, but he resisted. Instead, he hugged her tight, kissed her lightly on the mouth again, and said, "Sleep tight." Then he walked away.

Miroku, on the other hand, had decided on a "goodnight grope." As evidenced by the red handprint on his cheek, it hadn't exactly worked. He sighed, kissed Sango briefly on the mouth, and ran a hand down her hair. With a "Don't let the bed bugs bite," he joined Inuyasha and Kouga at the elevator. With a last wave as the elevator doors closed, the guys left the building.

The girls sighed in unison, then stared at each other. Suddenly, they all squealed in unison again, and hopped around, ecstatic looks and dreamy sighs breaking the silences between squeals. After all, in one day, they had landed _extremely _sexy boyfriends, Kagome had joined the Archery club, they had performed at Burn, had been assigned another hit by Naraku, and tried out for the Dance Team. All in a little under nine hours... Talk about your busy day!

Finally, Kagome calmed down and turned serious. Ayame and Sango, seeing the look, calmed down as well. When Kagome got that look on her face, it could only mean one thing. Time to get to work.

Walking to the elevator, they activated the hidden key and descended to the hidden Burn. When the doors opened, the first thing they saw was a man waiting against the wall. His eyes lit up when he saw the girls and rushed to give Kagome a quick hug. She just laughed and shook her head. "Hey, Shippo."

The man, Shippo, grinned, then gave Ayame and Sango a quick hug as well. "Hey, you guys. How's it going? Boss man's big on this assignment. He doesn't want any screwups," Shippo fired off in quick succession. The girls laughed again, then Kagome replied, "I know, Shippo. Some news, though. Got guys now."

Shippo's eyes widened slightly. "Do they know, you know, about your work?" He asked. Kagome glanced at Ayame and Sango, then shook her head. "Nah. So far, he only knows about Burn..." She trailed off when she noticed another person heading in her direction.

It was the same man from earlier, the one Ayame had dragged off in the lobby. Only now, Kagome didn't have an excuse to get rid of him again. Panicking, she glanced at Ayame again, but Ayame just shook her head, grinning. Kagome shot her a glare, but it was too late to do anything. The man had already made it to the group.

"Kagome!" Turning, Kagome put on a fake smile. "Hojo! How have you been? I haven't seen you in a while..." She trailed off weakly. Hojo had gotten down on one knee and was kissing her hand.

"My lovely lady Kagome! How I've missed you so! If possible, could we have dinner tonight?" Kagome squirmed, trying to take back her hand. But he held on to it tightly, determined. She shot evil glares at Ayame, Sango, and Shippo, who had been overcome by a fit of silent laughter at the sight. Turning back to Hojo, Kagome felt relieved at being able to reject his offer with a legitimate excuse.

"I'm sorry, Hojo, I'm busy tonight. Maybe some other time?" After asking this as politely as possible, she jerked her hand from his grasp and started to inch backwards. "How about tomorrow? Or the day after that?" He asked in a desperate voice.

"Um... No, I don't think so. My schedule's kinda busy at the moment... I'll have to take a rain check!" Blurting this out, she grabbed a hold of the other three and dragged them to the bar, away from the pleading Hojo.

"Jesus... That guy never gives up, I swear! He's like a frickin' puppy, always following me around..." Muttering to herself, Kagome plopped down on a stool. "And stop laughing!" She yelled at the three.

They burst out laughing a few seconds later, unable to hold back. "B-b-but that was h-h-hilarious!" Ayame gasped. "Totally!" Adopting a puppy dog look, Sango pleaded in a high-pitched voice, "'Will you go out with me, Kagome? How about tomorrow? The next day? Please?'" The group burst into a fresh bout of laughter at this. Kagome just rolled her eyes in disgust.

"You three are such children, I swear..." she muttered. "They bugging ya, honey?" A voice asked. Looking up, Kagome saw that Kagura had come over to talk. She was presently leaning on the bar next to Kagome, polishing a glass that was already clean. Kagome sighed. "Kagura, how the hell am I going to get rid of him?" she asked. Kagura pretended to think about it for a second.

"The way I see it, ya got three options: You tell him flat out you don't like him, you beat some sense into him, or you let your new man take care of him. Take your pick," she said casually. "Inuyasha? Are you crazy? He'd beat poor Hojo into a pulp and ship him off to an orange juice company for processing," Kagome complained.

"Then take care of Hojo yourself," Kagura suggested. Kagome sighed. "I guess I'm going to have to. I just don't want to hurt his feelings, is all," she murmured. Kagura snorted, and started to walk off.

"Wait. I still wanna talk, but could you get me a Bloody Mary first?" Kagura's eyebrows rose. "You sure?" She asked. Kagome nodded. "With extra tobasco sauce." Shrugging, Kagura started mixing the drink. "So..." Kagome said. Kagura glanced at her.

"What's 'Miss Kikyo' been up to lately?" Kagura grinned. Unknown to Kikyo, Kagura was a close friend of Kagome's, and reported all of Kikyo's evil plots to Kagome. It came in handy, especially in some of the more humiliating experiences.

Plopping the drink in front of Kagome, Kagura ducked under the bar to sit next to Kagome on a stool and talk. "Well, she's definitely got it out for you, especially since you stole Inuyasha from her. Not that he ever was hers to begin with, you understand. She just wanted the popularity he came with. And, somehow, she thinks you've 'usurped' her position as school 'Queen.' She basically pissed at you, and you've just made number one on her death list," Kagura said casually.

Kagome nodded, sipping her drink. Spicy, just the way she liked it. "Well, if she tries anything, I'll be ready. Besides, I've got bigger fish to fry. Naraku's got us on another hit, and I don't think we'll be able to hide our 'occupation' from our guys for very long..." Kagome said slowly. She looked over at Ayame and Sango; they had taken up to playing Phase10 with Shippo. From the looks of it, Shippo was winning. But then, what do you expect from a mathematical genius?

Sighing and shaking her head, Kagome downed the last of her drink in a gulp and stood up. "Thanks for the drink and the info, Kagura. Don't know what I'd do without you!" Kagura just grinned. "No problem, boss lady." With that remark, she started to get ready for the night crowd. Kagome walked over to the trio's table, and waited for them to look up and notice her. When they did, she motioned for them to follow her.

Leading them to the bar, they ducked underneath and went into the room behind it. A table with four chairs sat in the center of the room, while dozens of filing cabinets cluttered up the room. On the center of the table was a set of blueprints.

With closer inspection, they were revealed to be those of the National Museum of Art. Kagome had to hand it to Naraku; he sure knew how to be prepared. Turning to Ayame, Sango, and Shippo, she rolled up her sleeves.

"Time to start planning, guys."

**A/N**: Chapter six, revamped. That's better. The guys will, unfortunately, have to cool their heels for a bit.

-**_S.S.S._**


	7. Threats and a Date

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Seven: Threats and a Date

Shippo immediately went into full-blown 'work mode'. Taking a seat at the table, he whipped out a miniature laptop from his pocket. It was the size of a portable DVD player, but it was high-tech, and ran faster than any other computer in the world. But then, Shippo had made it himself. Why wouldn't it be the best there was?

Kagome smiled fondly at the man typing fervently on his computer. While he was technically as old as they were, he was still a kid at heart, and acted like one more often than not. He was the technical part of their team. Monitoring feedback, checking out info, finding anything on the Internet, hacking government databases... Those were just a few things he did for them. And those were just on the job.

Flopping into a chair, Kagome began to study the blueprints and map a floor plan, while Ayame and Sango went over to a back corner of the room. Pulling open the bottom drawer of a certain filing cabinet, Ayame watched a hidden panel swing open in the wall. Sango reached in and began pulling out equipment. Three sets of clothing, in all black, rappelling equipment, a glass cutter, gloves, three sets of wireless headpieces with microphones... The list went on.

The four teammates worked quietly into the night, preparing for the new moon, only three days away. They had a lot to do in a short amount of time.

The next day at school, the girls arrived to find the boys waiting patiently for them. Well, almost patiently. "Finally! Thought you were gonna make it here sometime next month!" Inuyasha said impatiently. Kagome just ignored him and walked down the hallway to her locker. "I had to take a shower. Or do you prefer I smell like sweat?" Kagome asked grouchily. Inuyasha raised his eyebrows in surprise; Kagome was definitely not a morning person. "Sheesh, I was just teasing. Is something wrong?" he asked.

Kagome sighed and shook her head. No, there was nothing wrong, unless you counted the late night she had last night. The planning had taken longer than expected, then Ayame and she had trained for about three hours... Kagome was exhausted, and they still weren't 100 sure on some of the details for the hit. And it was scheduled for the night after next!

"I'm just a little tired, Inuyasha. Don't worry, I'll be fine at lunch. See ya!" Kagome hurried to her first block, leaving a confused Inuyasha behind. Plopping her books on her desk, Kagome sank into her seat, tired beyond reason. _Man, Ayame went all out last night. No doubt she's regretting it right about now too... Oh, the student teacher. He's talking. That's nice..._

A few seconds later, Kagome dropped off to sleep.

While she was asleep, however, Kikyo decided to make her grand entrance. It didn't produce the effect she had hoped for, however. Most of the guys in the class still remembered yesterday's skirt-ripping incident, and some had even witnessed her humiliation on the archery field. Feeling rage boiling up in her, Kikyo cast a look around the room, searching for the object of her fury. Seeing Kagome sleeping, a sly and twisted smile slipped over her face.

Hurrying over to the new student teacher, who was trying to make the class calm enough to watch a movie over safety issues, Kikyo whispered in his ear and pointed at Kagome. She batted her eyelashes and gave him a shy smile of encouragement. The teacher turned an apple-red from his collar up, then stammered a "S-s-sure," and went to find the actual teacher of the class. A satisfied smirk on her face, Kikyo went to her seat.

Kagome slept on, oblivious to the power play. A few seconds later, although, she was rudely awakened by a hand slamming on her desk. The classroom was dead silent but for the screeching of the woman standing over her. "So! Kagome Higurashi! I was warned about you from the principal of your last school! You seem to think you're better than everyone else, that you can get away with things because you're special!" While the principal was screaming in her face, Kagome just blinked sleepily at her, then laid her head back on the desk and resumed sleeping.

This outraged the principal further and made her take drastic measures. Reaching down, she took a hold of Kagome's hair and pulled, waking Kagome abruptly. Only now, she wasn't just sleepy. She was exhausted, sore, and pissed. And happy to have someone to vent her rage on.

Reaching up, Kagome grabbed the woman by the wrist, squeezing so hard, the bone cracked. The sound echoed through the room, making everyone gasp. A second later, the principal began screaming, but was cut off when Kagome grabbed her windpipe. Sitting up, Kagome pulled her face to her eye level and spoke in a quiet, but deadly, voice.

"Don't bother me. I'm sleeping. _Especially_ when I'm sleeping. I don't know what the other principal told you, but I'll give you the same advice. You piss me off, you pay the consequences. Which can be quite painful, I assure you. So, if you don't mind, I'm going back to sleep now. Have a nice day." With that, Kagome released the woman, who was blue in the face by now, and went back to sleep.

The principal scrambled out of Kagome's reach and looked wildly about the room. Spotting the student teacher, she grabbed him and dragged him out of the room, ignoring his protests. Minutes later, he stumbled back in the room and ordered Kikyo to the principal's office. She went, shooting a glare in Kagome's direction, but Kagome had drifted back into dreamland.

When the bell rang, Kagome was the first out of the door. Zipping down the hallway, she blew past the principal's office, where Kikyo was still getting chewed out, and stopped at Inuyasha's locker. A startled look was all he managed before she gave him a _long _kiss hello. It wasn't until the warning bell rang for the next class that she let him up for air. They were both panting, faces flushed, but Kagome recovered first. Winking, she sailed to her own locker and ran to her next block, English.

Cursing a blue streak, Inuyasha grabbed his own books, slammed his locker shut, and barely made it into his own classroom before the final bell rang. Dropping his stuff on his desk, he flopped into his seat, still a little shaken over Kagome's mood swings. First she was grouchy, then she was all smiles! And frisky, to boot. Shaking his head at his girlfriend's weirdness, Inuyasha let the teacher drone on and followed Kagome's example. _Dreamland, here I come..._

As for Kagome, she was actually awake this class. Which wasn't really surprising, if you knew that English happened to be the only subject she could tolerate. It didn't stop her from ignoring the teacher, though. Scrunching up in her seat, she pulled out her cell phone and TM'd Sango and Ayame. (**SSS**: I'm gonna use their initials so you know who's who)

**K**: Hey guys

**S**: Hey Kag. Actually awake this block?

**K**: Ha ha, very funny

**A**: Kag, next time you make out with someone, do it in private, please

**K**: Like you don't do the same!

**A**: So?

**S**: I'm not even gonna ask...

**K**: You're probably safer that way. Question, though

**S**: Shoot

**K**: You talked to Shippo yet?

**A**: Yep. Went into the girl's RR & called him

**K**: Everything ready?

**S**: Down to the last detail

**K**: Good

**A**: Hey, Kag...

**K**: Yeah?

**A**: When we gonna tell the guys? I had to make up some lame excuse for Kou about tomorrow

**K**: When the time's right, I promise

**S**: Better be soon! I was kinda wanting to tell Mir soon...

**K**: Yeah, I want to tell Inu too... Shit! Teacher headed this way

Kagome abruptly closed her phone, but not soon enough. "What do we have here? A cell phone on school property? That's against the rules!" Before Kagome could realize what the teacher was going to do, her cell phone was snatched out of her hand. "Now, let's see what you were doing... Oh, TM'ing people, huh? How bout we find out who?" The teacher was pressing buttons and going through Kagome's address book. Suddenly, the dismissal bell rang.

"All right people, you're dismissed. Kagome, you stay." The teacher waved the other kids out the door, then turned back to Kagome. "Now, where was I?" Kagome shook her head. Really, how stupid could you get? And what was with all the teachers on her ass all of a sudden? _I didn't want to have to do this so soon, since I just moved here... But, it needs must be done..._

"Give me back my phone," Kagome said quietly. The teacher raised a brow and sneered at Kagome. "I don't think so. It's against school rules. Besides, I think this is the perfect payback for all the times you ignored me in class." Kagome rolled her eyes. "Are you referring to all the times I was either asleep or ignoring you, and you decided to ask me a question out of the blue? And I answered all of them correctly?" She asked politely.

Flushing, the teacher shook Kagome's phone in her face. "Don't you be smart with me! It won't get you anywhere but the principal's office!" "Been there, done that. Are you finished yet?" Kagome asked, bored. Now the teacher was really angry. Getting up in her face, he yelled, "That's it! Principal's office now! And don't even think you'll get your phone back! You'll be lucky if you see it two years from now!" Sighing, Kagome swiped it from his hand, then twisted that hand until a small crack echoed through the room.

The teacher's eyes bugged and he opened his mouth to scream, but Kagome applied pressure to a point in his neck, and his mouth never opened. "Why do you think you can threaten me and get away with it? Really, you teachers are getting much too arrogant these days. Now, let's get down to business. You threaten me, or piss me off one more time, I'll kill you."

Kagome's eye were glowing as she stared at the teacher. She was in her element, and he knew it. "Do you understand?" she breathed. Nodding fervently, the teacher felt his arm throb in the excruciatingly painful grip Kagome had on him.

Smiling, Kagome let go of him. The teacher flopped on the floor like a wet fish and cradled his arm. Picking up her stuff, Kagome walked to the door. Pausing, she turned back and said, "You might want to get that looked at. I'm pretty sure it's broken." With that, Kagome went to join her friends for lunch.

"Kagome! What took you so long? We've been here for fifteen minutes already!" Ayame said. Kagome smiled at her friends, dropped her books on the table, and went to kiss Inuyasha. Turning back to her friends, she said simply, "I had a disagreement with a teacher. We had to straighten it out, is all." Ayame and Sango exchanged looks. They knew what 'disagreement' meant. Kagome had done the same thing at their last school. Shaking their heads, they went back to their boyfriends.

"So! What are you guys doing tonight? If you're not busy, want to do a triple date?" Miroku suggested. While Kouga and Inuyasha enthusiastically agreed, the girls silently communicated. Did Shippo have everything ready? They'd already gone over the floor plan, so that wasn't a problem. The equipment was set. So was the time... All that was left was to tell Shippo that they weren't gonna be there tonight. Sango pulled out her phone, excused herself from the table, and went to the girl's bathroom. A second later, she was back, with a bright smile.

Kagome turned to the guys, who were still planning that night's upcoming events. "It's a date!" she said, smiling. Letting out whoops and yells, the boys grabbed the girls and swung them around. "All right, all right! I'm still hungry, you know!" Kagome protested. Laughing, Inuyasha carted her off to the lunch line, followed by Sango, Miroku, Ayame, and Kouga.

* * *

"You know, Naraku's gonna be pissed to hear that we skipped a session tonight," Sango commented from the passenger seat of Kagome's car. Kagome glanced at her, and said blithely, "So?" Ayame giggled from the backseat, where she was typing on her laptop. "Well, as long as _you're_ the one who deals with him, I don't care either way," she said. Kagome nodded and grinned, then focused on driving.

It was after school, and the girls were headed downtown to do a little shopping. After going home to change and drop off their backpacks, they had all piled into Kagome's car. Now, they were on a mission. A mission to find just the right outfit. One that would stun the boys at just one glance. The girls exchanged looks. Because tonight... Tonight was the night the boys got lucky.

Seven o'clock found the boys in the girl's hallway. Inuyasha reached up and adjusted his tie, then glanced at his watch. He was standing outside Kagome's door, just like Kouga was outside Ayame's and Miroku was outside Sango's.

At seven o'clock on the dot, the boy's knocked on the girl's doors in unison. Three "Just a minute!" 's rang out. Kagome was the first to open her door. When Inuyasha caught his first glimpse of her, he almost dropped the flowers he clutched in his hand.

Her hair tumbled around her shoulders in soft curls, to the top of the strapless dress she wore. It dipped into a slight V over her chest, then fell in flirty waves to her ankles. Strapless heels accented the dress with a deep crimson color, while her dress was a soft rose. Kagome gave him a smile of welcome, which deepened into a delighted grin at the sight of his bouquet of pink and red roses. Grabbing his hand, she tugged him into her apartment and gave him a kiss.

In the next apartment over, Kouga waited at Ayame's door, nervously shifting in place. A second after Inuyasha disappeared into Kagome's apartment, Ayame opened her door. Gulping, Kouga looked at her agape. She was a vision in white and lavender. The style of her outfit was more modern, but just as beautiful. The top criss-crossed over her breasts, while her stomach was bare. The skirt had a slit up the side, and fell in flounces to mid-calf. Deep purple heels completed the look. While he stared, slightly dazed, Ayame retrieved the purple orchids from his grasp.

And in the last apartment, Sango opened her door to find Miroku leaning against her doorframe with a smile hello. Smiling softly in return, Sango took the white carnations he held out to her. She turned to go put them in water, but stopped when he put a hand on her arm. Miroku closed the door behind him, then slowly turned her in a circle, in an effort to see all of her.

He dress was simple; a black sheath with straps that stopped a little above her knees. But for all its simplicity, it was still gorgeous when worn by the right person. Sango just happened to be the right person. A twinkle in his eyes expressing his appreciation, Miroku hooked an arm through Sango's and walked to the elevator. The couple arrived exactly on time with the other two. Grinning, Miroku pressed the down button and asked, "Shall we?" Nodding in agreement, the guys escorted the girls below.

By the time ten o'clock rolled around, the triple date had turned out to be a smashing success. After dinner at a romantic restaurant, they had decided to go dancing at a local club. Of course, it was nothing compared to Burn, but it was still fun. Now the guys had made a stop at the park for an after-dinner/dancing stroll. Together, it was pretty romantic.

Hand in hand, the couples had split up to different sections of the park. The girls had dictated an eleven o'clock curfew, so they had an hour to spend together. Inuyasha and Kagome walked past a pond that reflected the stars shining above them. Slipping an arm around her waist, he stopped and tugged her into his arms.

He sifted a hand through her hair and stroked her cheek. "Kagome..." he whispered softly. "Yes?" she asked, her eyes glowing softly. He closed his eyes for a second, then opened them with a determined look. "You know I like you, right? That I respect you for who you are, not how you look?" Confused, Kagome nodded. Where was Inuyasha going with this? And why was he asking her stuff like this? Sighing, Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair, then looked back at her. "Kagome... Kagome." She looked at him, eyebrows drawn over her eyes, which searched his with a soul-searing clarity.

Inuyasha pressed a soft kiss to her lips, only deepening it when she arched into his body and wrapped her arms around his neck. Opening her mouth to his onslaught, his tongue swept into her mouth, stroking hers with every other pass.

When he pulled back, she gave a slight moan in disappointment, but opened her eyes to look at him when he whispered her name again. "Kagome. I..." he trailed off. It seemed that he took a second to gather his nerve, then asked her simply, "Will you let me make love to you?"

**A/N**: Chapter seven, revamped. Arrgggh! It keeps getting away from me! Ok, sorry, boys, but you're not getting any _just_ yet… The girls still gotta tell you something, first. And you need to tell them about your own past…

-**_S.S.S._**


	8. The Enforcers

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Eight: The Enforcers

Kagome smiled, a tear trailing its way down her cheek. Seeing it, Inuyasha immediately began to panic. "No, no! I'm not pressuring you! I'm asking! I-" Kagome silenced his frantic excuses by placing a finger over his lips.

"Sssh. I know. I'm just happy, is all," she explained quietly. Hearing this, Inuyasha calmed down, relaxing. He tightened his arms around her, drawing her into a simple hug, but one that had more meaning than a kiss in that moment. Then Kagome sighed, reaching a decision.

Leaning back in his arms, she looked into his golden eyes, eyes that showed his trust of her, eyes that accepted her for who she was. _But that's just it. He doesn't really know who I am. He only knows what I've let him see, and it's not all of me_, Kagome thought sadly. "Inuyasha, yes, of course. It's just..." she trailed off, not sure what to say. Inuyasha waited patiently. Finally, Kagome spoke again. "It's just, I don't think I'm ready, right now. I've got too much going on in my life at the moment. Besides, I'll have to go to the doctor first, and get examined, and-" "Ok, ok, I get it!" Inuyasha said hastily, a flush spreading across his cheeks.

Kagome laughed at his expression. She loved teasing him; it was so funny to watch macho Inuyasha blush. Suddenly, his eyes turned to slits, and he growled, pulling her closer, if possible. "That doesn't mean I can't stop trying, does it?" Laughing, Kagome shook her head. Then his lips descended on hers, and she forgot everything.

* * *

Elsewhere in the park, Ayame and Kouga were walking hand in hand. Ayame was admiring the stars. Kouga was admiring Ayame. _She looks so pretty in the moonlight... Wonder if I'll get laid tonight?_ Distracted, he didn't notice the bench in front of him until he ran into it. Painfully. "Oof!" Kouga slumped down on the bench, rubbing his right leg, trying to make to make it stop hurting. "Kouga, are you ok?" Ayame asked, concern in her eyes and her voice.

Kouga nodded sheepishly, still rubbing his leg. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Guess I wasn't watching where I was going, huh?" Ayame laughed, relief coursing through her that he was all right. "That's an understatement! Are you sure you're ok, though?" Kouga nodded firmly. "Yeah, I'm positive. The only thing bruised is my pride," he admitted. _Lord knows, he's got enough to spare_, Ayame thought, amused.

"Why don't we sit here for a while, just in case?" Ayame asked. Nodding, Kouga relaxed against the back, wrapping an arm around Ayame's shoulders. "The stars are so beautiful tonight, don't you think?" she asked dreamily. "Not as pretty as you," Kouga whispered in her ear.

Ayame giggled lightly and slapped him on the arm. He ignored it and leaned down to press his lips lightly against hers. Ayame sighed, enchanted by the sweetness of the gesture and wrapped her arms around his neck. Kouga, taking it as permission to continue, tugged her onto his lap.

Ayame broke the kiss and looked into Kouga's eyes. They had darkened into a deeper blue with his arousal, but they were still clear, not glazed over. "I'm not sure if we can do anything tonight, Kouga," Ayame murmured in his ear. Kouga groaned slightly in disappointment, but nodded in agreement. He wasn't the kind of guy who forced his attentions if they were unwanted.

"I'm so sorry. It's just that we have a busy night planned in the next few days-" Ayame cut herself off before she said too much. "Busy night? When?" Kouga asked curiously. Were the girls planning on going somewhere without the guys with them?

Ayame shook her head hastily. "It's no where important, just for our jobs," she reassured him. "You three have jobs?" Kouga asked, eyebrows raised. Ayame groaned silently; this was _not_ going how she wanted. "Yeah, we've got a job. It takes us all over the place. We clean and...stuff," she said. Kouga nodded, accepting her excuse.

"So, you guys are busy tomorrow, then?" he asked, a disappointed note in his voice. Ayame nodded sadly. "Yeah, but I'll tell you something that'll cheer you up," she said quietly. "Yeah?" Kouga asked curiously. "Know that, where ever we are, we'd _always_ rather be with you guys," she said fervently. "Always?" "Always."

* * *

And, still elsewhere, Miroku and Sango were sitting on a pair of swings, lazily swinging back and forth. Miroku was enjoying the way Sango's dress rode up every time she pushed herself forward. Sango was staring at the sand beneath her feet, her brows furrowed in concentration. Finally, Miroku asked, "Sango? Is anything wrong?" Startled out of her musings, Sango looked up, blinking at Miroku as if just realizing he was there.

"Oh, no, nothing at all!" she said quickly. "I was just thinking about our job in the next few nights." Miroku raised an eyebrow at this; he didn't know the girls _had_ jobs. But then, how were they supposed to pay their rent?

"Is it a hard job?" he asked, digging subtly for information. Sango nodded her head, going back to looking at her feet. "Yeah, we get...assignments...from out boss, and we go 'borrow' what he asks for," she explained. "Oh, you mean like a loan officer?" Miroku asked innocently. Sango snorted lightly. "Yeah, I guess you could call us that," she said quietly.

Miroku looked up, in a rare mood of thoughtfulness. "We have jobs that are demanding as well," he said quietly. "You do?" Sango asked, looking up at him with a surprised expression. Miroku laughed at the look on her face. "Yeah, we gotta eat and pay rent too, you know." Sango nodded, a little blush on her face.

Miroku sighed and looked back up at the stars, his face a study of emotions: pride, exhaustion, pity, and, for some reason, ruthlessness. "Ever since we were children, Inuyasha, Kouga, and I wanted to be super heroes," he said wistfully.

Sango sputtered lightly; super heroes? He glanced at her in admonishment, and she quickly covered her mouth. "Yeah, I know, super heroes. So, when we turned sixteen, we went to the local police department and signed up for a sort of 'internship' that allowed us to work with real police officers. It showed us what being a cop would be like, and we were shocked. Saving the world wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, we discovered. In fact, it was rather bloody. And sad.

So, after that summer, we had abandoned all hopes and dreams. I remember the actual day quite clearly. We had gone to the park, and we were sitting on a bench, knees on our elbows, chins on our hands, and staring at the ground. Our dream had been crushed, and there wasn't anything else we had ever thought of being. Well, it was at that moment when a shadow fell at our feet. When we looked up, well... Let's just say Inuyasha wasn't too happy with who happened to be connected to the shadow.

See, Inuyasha has an older brother. Sesshoumaru. Half-brother, really. Their dad was married to Sess's mom before he was Inuyasha's dad. Turns out that Sesshoumaru happens to work for the government. And they just happened to be working on a case that required some people going undercover. Young people.

So, he 'recruited' us, I guess you could say. Forced, would be the actual word. Made us come work for the government. We've seen things we can't describe. Horrible things. We've been at his beck and call ever since, doing things whenever he needed us. And it hasn't been pretty."

When Miroku finished his story, Sango sat there, stunned. She knew who they were. Hell, anyone with half a brain in the Underworld knew who they were! They were the Enforcers. Three teenage guys who could hunt down anyone, anywhere, anytime. Even if the trail was ten years old, they could find them. And kill them. Or, turn them in. Depended on the crime.

It all fit. Miroku said they were recruited at sixteen, which would have been about three years ago. About three years ago, the Enforcers had appeared for the first time. And now, they were _involved_.

If the boys ever found out who they _were_... The mere possibilities made Sango shudder. They had done some pretty bad stuff in their days... Stuff that could get them killed. She had to tell the others! Quickly, before anything slipped out that couldn't be taken back! Making her decision, Sango stood up quickly, startling Miroku. He had been waiting for her to say something, anything, and her silence was unnerving to him. "Uh, Sango?" he asked hesitantly.

"I-I'm sorry Miroku, but I've got a huge headache all of a sudden. Would you mind terribly helping me find the others and taking us home?" she pleaded, her eyes wide and helpless. Miroku never could resist a 'damsel in distress', and played the hero part to a tee. "Of course, Sango. Can you page them or something?" Nodding her head, Sango immediately sent our her 'distress' signal.

Fifteen minutes later, the girls were on their way home, wondering about Sango's hurry. When they made it to their floor, the girls made their good-byes in the elevator and stepped off, leaving the boys the glance at each other strangely. Hurrying to Kagome's room, their unspoken headquarters, Ayame and Kagome immediately turned to Sango. "Ok, Sango, this better be good, because Inuyasha and I were-" Sango cut her off with a look.

"It's them, Kag. They're the _Enforcers_."

* * *

In the elevator, the boys were swapping stories. "Yeah, Kagome agreed, but she said she needed a little more time. Something about how she had too much going on in her life at the time," Inuyasha explained.

Kouga high-fived him, then explained, "Ayame said not right now 'cause the girl's cleaning job took up a lot of her time and energy." Miroku and Inuyasha looked at him oddly at that. "Sango told me they were loan officers," Miroku said. Now Inuyasha looked at them both weirdly. "No, Kagome said she worked at the museum with her mom," he insisted. "Ok, wait a minute," Kouga said. "Either one of us got it wrong, or the girls told us different things."

The boys looked at one another, each thinking something different. Miroku picked that time to confess. "Uh, guys?" Inuyasha and Kouga turned to him. "I, uh, kinda told Sango, uh... everything," he muttered. Inuyasha and Kouga, both having excellent hearing, heard him, unfortunately.

"**_Everything?_** As in, _everything_?" they shouted. Miroku nodded. "But, you weren't supposed to!" Kouga said stupidly. Inuyasha gave him an impatient look, then turned back to Miroku. "And? What did she say?" Miroku looked confused now. "Well, that's just it. She didn't say anything. She stood up and said she had a headache, asked me to help find the girls, and to take her home. But why would she want to go home with the other two? Couldn't she have gone by herself?" He asked.

Kouga and Inuyasha looked at each other, thinking the same thing aloud just as the elevator dinged open. "Unless she knew who we were...?"

**A/N**: Chapter eight, revamped. Next up, new chapter! Should be soon, since I'm finished with revamping this.

-**_S.S.S._**


	9. The Phantoms

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Nine: The Phantoms

When the girls were thirteen, they lived completely separate lives. Sango lived with both of her parents, and her little brother, Kohaku. Ayame lived with her grandfather in the mountains up north. And Kagome lived on a shrine with her mother and her little brother, Souta. None of them knew each other in the slightest sense, nor knew of their intertwined destinies. That is, until **he** came. And then everything changed.

Of all the three, Sango had to be the most unluckiest, because she was the first to meet him. When she arrived home from school, after another normal day, he was waiting for her, sitting in the living room with her parents.

He was, he had explained, there to interview her for a special scholarship awarded to particularly talented students. She met the requirements, he said, so would she be interested in attending a school for her talents? Of course her parents leapt at the idea, and Sango left the following week, not knowing she would never see her parents again.

The same thing happened to both Ayame and Kagome in turn, and soon, the three girls met. It wasn't long after that they discovered there was no special school, that it had all been a carefully laid trap for the girls.

Oh, they attended class everyday, with a different teacher each week. But they never learned anything academic. Instead, they were taught how to survive under any means necessary. Each week, they were subjected to a new situation and expected to survive. Even if it meant betraying a comrade, or killing innocents.

When they were fifteen, they made their debut in the Underworld.

By then, they were completely loyal to his every whim. Or so he thought. Sure, they stole whatever they were sent after, assassinated any and all assigned targets, and even managed to lead somewhat normal lives during the day.

But what he didn't realize was, when you're faced with the brink of death, repeatedly, and forced to experience and do things you would never have seen or done in a normal life, it makes you strong. Even more so when you face those things _together_.

So, while the girls were obeying every command, inside, they were plotting. Plotting on how to make him pay. And they had everything down to a T. So what held them back? Simple.

When you love someone, you don't realize how much until they're gone. And when it comes to family, the bond of love is even stronger. And he knew this. So, in order to ensure the girls' continued cooperation, he threatened the only thing they held precious: their loved ones.

Whenever something seemed impossible, all the girls had to do was close their eyes, and they were home. And when next their eyes opened, they found a way to go on, to do the impossible. All for the sake of love.

Thus, by the time the girls had met the boys, they had almost given up hope. How could they possibly find a way to save their families and escape his grasp at the same time? Easy. It wasn't possible.

Because no matter how many missions Kagome led, or Sango researched, or Ayame supplied, he wasn't going to let them go. And they knew it.

* * *

All color seemed to drain from Kagome's face at Sango's words. She immediately started shaking her head in denial. "No, it's not possible. How could Inuyasha be an Enforcer? It's just not possible!" She was desperately looking between Ayame and Sango, waiting for one to deny it.

Unfortunately, Ayame seemed to have lost her ability to speak, and Sango looked deadly serious. In a calm voice that only shook slightly, she quietly related the story Miroku had just told her.

When she was finished speaking, Kagome limply slid down the wall. She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them. Inside, she was still screaming that it wasn't true, but she knew, in her heart, that Sango was right.

There was no other possible answer. With a sigh, Sango sat next to her. Of the three, it was Sango who guarded her heart the most, and her emotions. Nothing would be accomplished if she broke down now. Ayame slumped down next to her, and the three sat in silence for a few minutes.

After a bit, Kagome raised her head, wiped her face, and took charge. "All right. There's nothing we can do now, so we might as well make sure this operation goes smoothly. We can't afford to have the government busting our asses and screwing everything up. This time, we have to be prepared for _anything_, even if it means fighting the people we love. Understood?"

She looked at Sango and Ayame at her sides; they nodded without hesitation. The girls didn't know it then, but the same looks appeared on their faces as in the years of training they had undergone. It was an expression that surpassed determination. If it was possible for ruthlessness, resignation, and anger to be in one look, it was at that moment.

* * *

At that moment, the boys were having similar thoughts. They had arrived at their apartment, only to discover a terse message from the Commander on their answering machine. Just three words.

"_The park, midnight."_

And that could only mean one thing: there was another mission to complete. Inuyasha didn't even flinch at the sound of the voice anymore; three years of hearing commands given in that cold tone had washed away any emotion he might have once felt.

At midnight exactly, the boys sat on a park bench, waiting for the Commander to appear. Ironically, it was the same park bench they had been sitting at when he had first approached them. Then, they had been excited at the idea of serving justice to the world. Now, disillusioned and bitter, they no longer cared.

"Such long faces for heroes of the Underworld." The comment came from the shadows surrounding them. None of the boys made any move at the sound; their reflexes were too conditioned from years of experience.

Only Inuyasha spoke, and only barely. To any passing outsider, it looked like only the three boys sat there. The Commander didn't want it known he knew of the Enforcers.

"Our mission?" Inuyasha asked without emotion. "The Phantoms, of course. Who else?" the Commander replied. "So we're finally going after them?" "Yes." Silence reigned for a few seconds, then a soft clink echoed.

"Your instructions are in the bag behind the bench, as usual. Equipment will be waiting when you return home." The boys barely nodded. They were used to the routine after three years.

"I'm leaving now. Wait the three minutes and leave." The boys nodded again. "Oh, and boys?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow in question. "Whatever you do, **do not fail me**. Understood?" Without waiting for a reply, the Commander left with the barest whisper. The boys were left to contemplate their final order and wonder at its importance.

* * *

A few moments later, the Commander materialized under a street light and lingered. He glanced behind him towards the park. A flicker of emotion appeared in his cold gold eyes, softening them for a fraction of a second. In the next instant, he was gone. If anyone had looked closely, they would have been stunned by the look, for it closely resembled a mixture of regret, sorrow, and pride.

* * *

Bright and early Tuesday morning, Kagome's alarm clock woke her at the usual time of 6 a.m. Groaning, she buried her face in her pillow and swatted at the annoying noise. Stumbling out of bed, she blearily looked at her reflection in the mirror and winced.

_I look like I've been on a three day drinking binge_, she thought distantly.

Her eyes were puffy and red-rimmed from where she had cried herself to sleep the night before, like so many times before. Fresh tears rose to the surface as she remembered the night before.

_Why did it have to be Inuyasha? Why couldn't it have been someone else? For once in my life, I deserve to be happy!_

Shaking her head free of the depressing thoughts, she switched on the shower and climbed in, getting ready for another day of school.

* * *

In Sango's apartment, music blared from the speakers of her sound system as she yanked open her closet, determined not to focus on anything but the new day. _What to wear…Something that will drive Miroku nuts, of course. Which would be…_Her thoughts trailed off as she spotted the perfect shirt.

"Ah ha!" she cried triumphantly, pulling the shirt off a hanger and holding it up to herself as she peered into the full length mirror. _It's missing something, though…_ Spotting a long strip of cloth on the ground, Sango bent down and picked up the bandanna belt to a favorite pair of jeans. "Perfect!"

* * *

Ayame was awake before the other two girls. Rising just as the sun rose in the sky, she padded softly through her living room and to her sliding glass doors. Opening them, she stepped onto the balcony and breathed in deeply. _I love the early mornings. The scent of a new day always helps me wake up._

Propping her arms on the rail, she leaned out, staring at the waking city below her. _I can only hope that today doesn't end in disaster. But I can't help worrying._

As music began to blare from the apartment next to hers, Ayame sighed and went back inside. "All I can do is get ready for school and pray. Pray that our lives weren't always destined to end in disaster."

* * *

The girls pulled into the student parking lot of the school building. The guys were standing by the doors leading inside, hands tucked into their pockets. They smiled as the three girls walked up to them, but it seemed subdued. That is, until Miroku got a good look at Sango.

"Holy shit," he whispered in awe when she stopped in front of him. She just laughed and grabbed his hand to drag him inside. Miroku's remark was directed at her shirt, of course. It was strapless, just like the dress she had worn the night before, but that was where the comparisons ended.

The color was black with silver trim. A hot pink bandanna was tied under the bust line, leaving room for the shirt to billow around her stomach. As the shirt was extremely short, however, it didn't have much room except to move up every time she moved her arms. Miroku peeked over her shoulder.

Every time her arms moved, the shirt dipped down too. He grinned, then silently groaned. Today was going to be…painful, to say the least.

A few seconds later confirmed it when Sango caught where he was looking. "Hentai!" echoed through the commons area just before a loud smack.

Kouga shook his head, grinning. Ayame giggled and hooked her arm through his, walking after the pair. Inuyasha just sighed and shook his head. He started to loop his arm around Kagome's waist, but she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his first. This seemed to be important to her, so he shrugged and squeezed her hand in response. She gave him a small smile in return. The trio of couples headed off to class.

* * *

Lunch was hilarious, thanks to Miroku and Sango's actions. Kagome noticed that Sango was putting more effort into acting cheerful today. She seemed determined to avoid the subject of Wednesday, and Kagome couldn't agree more. If she thought about it too much, she just might burst into tears. So she joined in the small food fight that seemed to have erupted at their table and let her mind wander.

Ayame glanced between her two best friends. Kagome was the biggest worrier of all three of them, but she seemed to be having fun. Sango was undoubtedly worried as well, but the tug of war she was having with Miroku over a pack of ketchup kept her occupied. All of a sudden, Ayame was sprayed in the face with the sticky red liquid.

"Oh my god, Ayame, I'm so sorry!" Sango apologized. "Here, let me-" She stopped mid-sentence, shrieking. Ayame had calmly wiped the ketchup off her face and smashed her pudding into Sango's face. Sango sat back, blinking in shock for a second, then picked up her milk and took aim.

Miroku got in the way, unfortunately. "Ok, you two! That's enough-!" He stopped as milk splashed all down his shirt, soaking him through. "Oh, that's it," he muttered and picked up his fries. Sango ducked as they were thrown at her, which means they hit Kagome.

Her eyes widened, then narrowed at Miroku, who gulped. Picking up her piece of pizza, she threw it towards Miroku, who ducked as well. Kagome almost fell off her seat, she was laughing so hard. The sight of Kouga peeling a piece of cheese pizza off his face sent the rest of the group into hysterics.

A vein pulsed in his cheek as he picked up his hamburger. "You guys…" he growled. "Food fight!" Sango choked out, grabbing her own food to defend herself. Fifteen minutes, the entire table, and everyone sitting at it, was covered in an assortment of different foods.

The girls stood up, grinning. Kagome calmly pulled a random piece of broccoli out of her hair as she walked away with Sango and Ayame, not deigning to speak to the boys. Inside the girl's locker rooms, the three stripped, took quick showers, and headed back to class.

* * *

The group met up after school, and unanimously agreed no to discuss the food throwing incident yet. Kagome was holding Inuyasha's hand and walking down the hall to the doors that led to the student parking lot when something large and wet hit her in the back of the head

She froze where she stood, reaching a hand up to see what it was when she was pelted with another wet object, this time one that cracked when it hit her. Sango and Ayame had already figured out what was happening and spun around, only to be hit in the face with another flying missile.

Kagome dropped Inuyasha's hand and shoved him towards Kouga and Miroku, who were watching helplessly in the background. "Turn around, bitch! It's your turn to get what's coming to you!" Kikyo's voice held a sing song quality to it that nagged the hell out of Kagome.

Turning in one swift move, she caught the next egg that came flying her way. Next to her, Sango had two rotten tomatoes in her hands and Ayame had three other eggs she'd snagged out of mid air. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Kikyo. I'd given you credit in assuming you had a brain. Now I realize my own stupidity," Kagome murmured.

"Girls…" That one word gave Ayame and Sango the permission they had been waiting for. Throwing their own missiles, they two instantly split up and rushed Kikyo and her group silently, taking them by surprise. Sango grabbed two girls by the shirts and slung them to the ground, knocking them unconscious in the process. Ayame grabbed another two and twisted their arms behind their backs, forcing them to their knees.

That only left Kikyo to Kagome.

She quietly walked up to the horrified girl. Kagome hefted the egg she had in her hand, looking at it, then smashed it in Kikyo's face. "Now who's got egg on her face, Kikyo?" she asked. Leaving the five girls to their thoughts, Ayame, Sango, and Kagome walked off.

The guys were shocked. In less than a minute, the girls had revealed a ruthless side to them that they had never seen before. And they way they moved… _Silent and deadly, just like Phantoms…_Inuyasha thought to himself. _But it's not possible…is it? They don't seem the type at all…_

Wiping themselves off, the girls walked back to the locker rooms to shower off, leaving the guys to follow or go home. They chose to follow, unanswered questions in their eyes.

When Ayame stepped out of the locker room, dressed in her gym clothes for lack of anything else to wear, Kouga immediately snagged her arm. "What's going on, Ayame?" She looked at him mutely, unable to answer the question without asking Kagome for permission. She just shook her head and stepped away as Sango came out.

Backing away from him, Ayame joined Sango, well away from the boys. Kagome joined them a second later. "What's with all the tense faces?" she asked. "Kouga wants to know what's up," Ayame replied quietly. Kagome's face scrunched up for a second before looking at the boys. "We can't tell them just yet. They're still getting used to us," she finally said. Sango and Ayame nodded.

* * *

"They're plotting something," Kouga muttered. Miroku just sighed. Inuyasha shifted positions, leaning back against the lockers behind him. "When they want to tell us, they will," he stated. "But Inuyasha! You saw the way they moved! As if stalking prey, deadly as a viper," Kouga protested.

"Of course I saw. There is a good chance those three are the Phantoms," Inuyasha replied tonelessly. Miroku and Kouga fell back, shocked. "No. I refuse…They can't be!" Miroku sputtered incoherently. Inuyasha smiled ferally. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow night, then, won't we?"

* * *

"I'll see you tomorrow morning," Kagome said to Inuyasha, kissing him on the cheek. He nodded, a strange look in his eyes as he stared at her. _He knows_. A shiver of apprehension danced it's way down her spine, sending danger signals to her brain. "We'll try to be here a little earlier." _So we can spend as much time with you as possible before we have to say goodbye forever._

* * *

"Don't worry so much Kouga, you'll get wrinkles," Ayame teased. "I know, Ayame, it's just-" She cut him off with a look. "I promise I'll explain soon. Just trust me until then, ok?" she asked, a slight pleading note in her voice. He nodded and sighed, resigned. _Please, God, keep him safe from me. I don't want to have to kill him, too._

* * *

"If you even think about groping me when I'm trying to say goodbye, you won't be able to stand for a week!" Sango threatened Miroku. He sheepishly brushed a hand through his hair, looking so adorable that Sango just had to kiss him. When she pulled away, he whispered in her ear, "I really, really love that shirt. It makes you look…edible." She blushed all the way down to her toes. _I love him so much! Don't take him from me, too! I don't think I could handle losing him, as well…_

* * *

The three girls slumped against the elevator wall as it made it's way up to the 13th floor. They were quiet, each to busy with their own thoughts. When the door dinged open, then stepped through automatically, heading for Kagome's apartment. Once inside, they all flopped in random places in the living room. Silence reigned until Sango broke it.

"They know." Kagome looked at her from the couch. "I know," she whispered.

* * *

Across town, the guys were slumped in similar positions in the apartment they shared. It was spacious, with three bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, dining area, and living room. Miroku looked up from his position on the floor. "Inuyasha…" he trailed off. Inuyasha lifted his head from the couch and looked at him. "What?" he growled.

"I don't want to fight them," Miroku whispered. Kouga snorted from his position in a recliner. "Yeah. You wanna be the one to tell the Commander why we don't wanna do this mission? 'Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I can't go tomorrow night because then I'll have to fight my girlfriend in a life or death situation,'" he mocked.

Miroku looked at him, his pride stung. "You don't want to fight them any more than I do!" he shouted. Kouga said nothing. "Enough," Inuyasha intoned.

Sitting up with a sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck. "We don't have any choice. We go tomorrow night as planned and hope to god they can find a way to escape. Otherwise…" He left the sentence hanging. He didn't need to say it.

The other two were thinking the exact same thing.

Otherwise, they would either have to sentence the Phantoms to life long imprisonment or death. Neither option was appealing.

**A/N**: New chapter. Sorry about all the scene changes. I'm so dead for that cliff hanger…

-**_S.S.S._**


	10. A Hit Gone Wrong

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or anything related to him.

**Hidden Fires**

Chapter Ten: A Hit Gone Wrong

Both groups unconsciously decided to skip school the next day. Instead, they devoted the day to preparing for that night, both mentally and physically, to fight their other half.

Having finished last minute preps, the girls whiled away the afternoon in Burn, dancing and drinking away their stress.

The guys, being guys, hit the gym, working their muscles to the limit.

Finally, midnight rolled around. The Phantoms found themselves crouching on the roof of the National Museum of Art.

"Kagome, Sango, Ayame, how's the feed?" The whisper echoed in the girl's ears as they dashed quickly and silently across the rooftop.

"Working just fine, Shippo," Kagome whispered back for all of them.

"Just checking. You've already memorized the layout of the building, so you know where the scroll and necklace are. I'll guide you through the security system, as usual, and you'll be fine. Actually, I'd be surprised if you couldn't do the alarm system yourself, it's so simple," Shippo muttered. "What were they thinking, installing this system? A child cold hack into this with their eyes closed!"

Ignoring Shippo's continued rant, Kagome focused on the landscape of the rooftop around her.

Spotting the vent they were to enter through, she motioned to Sango and Ayame. The vent was quickly dispatched and the girls dropped silently into the enclosed space below.

"Follow the vent to the main showcase area, then-" "Shippo," Kagome growled, "I know." Silence reigned on the opposite end for a few minutes.

The girls worked their way through the vent until they came to the exit vent.

"Ok, before you go in, there's an alarm you'll have to deactivate," Shippo interjected. "Along the bottom right hand corner, there's a small black box. Open it and clip the red wire," he instructed.

Kagome did as told. A small beep echoed in the vent. "There, it's safe to proceed," Shippo announced.

Sango shifted the vent cover to the side silently. Positioning herself to drop below, Kagome looked at Sango and Ayame. Taking a deep breath, they nodded simultaneously and Kagome disappeared below.

Sango, followed by Ayame, quickly descended after her. Plastering themselves to the floor, they strained to hear any sounds in the pitch black, hardly breathing.

Not hearing anything suspicious, Kagome signaled to the other two and they flitted through the room to the next.

Ayame shifted slightly, glancing behind her. A tiny puff of air tickled her ear before a hand covered her mouth, silencing her scream of warning, and pulled her back into the shadows.

Kagome and Sango continued to the next room, unaware that Ayame was missing.

A shiver crawled up Sango's spine, warning her just in time as a hand reached out to grab her. Dodging it, she turned to peer behind her just as someone clamped a damp cloth around her nose and mouth.

Sango struggled not to breath in as she was dragged into the shadows as well.

Meanwhile, Kagome had discovered the case that displayed their target.

An ancient scroll, yellow with age, lay rolled up and sealed with crumbling wax near a glittering necklace. The necklace appeared to be like any other jewel studded knick-knack a thief would want, but it was the flowing pink gem in the center that Naraku wanted.

Taking out her glasscutter, she motioned behind her for Sango and Ayame to be prepared to disengage the alarm. No one appeared.

Turning around, Kagome realized with astonishment that her teammates had disappeared. Movement caught her eye.

Instinctively, she ducked and rolled, flipping to her feet as her opponent charged past. Dropping into her automatic fighting stance, she glanced around warily, as her foe had disappeared.

Straightening, she back flipped onto the nearest display case, balancing her weight on the balls of her feet as she peered around from her new vantage point.

Spying movement in the far corner of the room, she leapt from case to case, gracefully and silently. Dropping lightly to the floor, she snuck up on the huddled mass.

As her eyes adjusted to the dimmer shadows surrounding the corner, Kagome realized the squirming mass was Sango and Ayame, tied and gagged. Sango's eyes flickered behind Kagome briefly. It was all the warning she needed.

Dodging to the right, she ducked behind yet another display case. Kagome pressed her back to a wall.

Breathing lightly, she slowly stood up, eyes darting this way and that. Reaching into a pocket of her black pants, she pulled out a small object that resembled a rod. Pressing a button, a slinky, coiled whip made of thin strips of braided cloth fell to the floor.

It didn't cause as much damage as a leather one, but when it hit you, it stung.

Sensing movement heading her way, she snapped the whip up in a reflex motion, knocking the knife heading her way out of the air.

The movement had caused her to step forward a few, and it only took her a second to realize that the knife had been a distraction.

Hands gripped her wrists, forcing her to her knees as her arms were twisted behind her back.

"You lose," a voice whispered in her ear, sending chill down her spine at the familiar sound. "Not quite, Inuyasha," she murmured.

Gripping his wrists in her own hands, she squeezed hard on the muscle, causing his arms to go numb. When he released her, cursing, she sprinted across the room to the far corner, brandishing her whip.

A few seconds later, Sango and Ayame stood up, free, and the three positioned themselves in the center of the room, back to back.

"Ready?" Kagome asked quietly. Sango swallowed and nodded. Ayame just sighed. "Go!"

The three split up, each heading in a different direction.

Kagome headed for the display case; screw the alarms.

Sango headed for the next room to secure their escape route.

Ayame provided a distraction for the boys: leaping high in the air, the wolf demon pulled the ring from a canister and threw it to the floor, tugging a handkerchief up around the bottom part of her face. Then she headed after Sango.

Kagome, her own handkerchief in place, smashed a hand through the glass case, snatching the scroll and necklace quickly.

Running into the next room, ignoring the blaring alarms ringing in her arms, Kagome hurried to the vent, only to stop dead.

Sango and Ayame stood directly under their escape route, held tightly in Miroku and Kouga's grip.

Sango scrunched up her face and chuckled sadly. "Sorry, Kag. They anticipated our movements," she apologized.

"Of course," Kagome murmured calmly, safely tucking the scroll, necklace, and her whip in another pocket of her pants. "I wouldn't expect anything less from the Enforcers."

Inuyasha stepped from the shadows next to her. Kagome dropped into a stance just as Sango and Ayame wrenched free.

"Well, shall we?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha nodded sharply, following her example and dropping into his own stance.

Sango faced Miroku. Ayame faced Miroku. Kagome faced Inuyasha.

Girlfriend vs. Boyfriend. Phantoms vs. Enforcers.

Loved one vs. Loved one.

Somewhere, Naraku was laughing.

_Damn you, you bastard!_ Kagome thought bitterly, attacking Inuyasha in a swift movement. Sango and Ayame followed suit, each attacking their respective boyfriends.

All were evenly matched. Each was in anguish. Both groups cursed the one who put them up to this.

Until an intervention occurred.

Sudden pounding footsteps, the flickering of lights, and the sounds of guns being loaded.

"Freeze!" a voice yelled. Both parties froze in the glare of the museum lights, still as statues for a few seconds, and then glanced around.

"You are under arrest! Put your hands in the air and get down on your knees!" the voice commanded. They were surround by JIA thugs. (Japanese Intelligence Agency…not very original, I know, but I was pressed for time. Sorry—SSS)

Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. "Sesshoumaru…" he spat.

Glancing at Kagome, they communicated with their eyes, asking and answering unspoken questions.

Jerking her head slightly, she attained Sango and Ayame's attention while Inuyasha did the same.

A few seconds later, they whirled into motion. Ayame repeated her smoke bombe attack and the three couples escaped upwards through the vent.

Seconds later, they were on the roof and sprinting to a wall to rappel down. Pairing up, the girls helped the guys manage the ropes until they were on the ground and off again.

Kagome led the way to the van parked four blocks away in the still-full Wal-Mart parking lot. Noticing this, Inuyasha commented on it.

"Smart," he whispered approvingly. Kagome smiled at him briefly, then peered around the corner of a building, scooping our the area for any JIA thugs.

"If you think that's cool, watch this," she muttered. Turning around, the girls simultaneously whipped off the black, long-sleeved shirts and pants they wore on the raid. Regular street clothes were underneath.

As they finished stripping off their over clothes, the rolled up scroll and necklace fell out of Kagome's pocket. Six pairs of eyes focused on the items instantly.

Kagome automatically reached for them, Inuyasha doing the same. A sound behind them made the group freeze then tense.

Instinctively looking around, they missed the small rush of air next to them. Hearing nothing, they turned back around, only to discover the artifacts gone.

Kagome's eyes narrowed in disgust; Naraku!

"Dammit!" she hissed. "Stupid asshole. What's the matter, don't trust me?" she muttered.

Ayame slapped her on the back and nudged her out of the way, heading nonchalantly to the van.

Shippo slammed the door open. "You guys! What the hell happened! The second you cut the vent wire, your earpieces went dead! Are you ok?" he asked anxiously.

His eyes widened when he caught sight of the guys stepping out the shadows behind them.

"Are they…?" He trailed off, shocked speechless. "Yeah, the Enforcers," Kagome answered, climbing in the van.

"Well, are you coming?" Kagome asked impatiently to the guys. The boys, who'd been busy staring at the intricate setup of computers in the van, nodded and scrambled in behind Sango and Ayame.

"Sorry it's cramped," Ayame apologized from up front. "We're not used to visitors."

The boys nodded again. "Yo, Mr. Computer Nerd!"

Shippo arched an eyebrow at Kouga in the rearview mirror. "Yes?" he asked grouchily.

"Where the hell you taking us?" he asked. "I don't know," he replied testily. "Why don't you ask the Fearless Leader?" He pointed to Kagome.

Shooting him a dirty look, Kagome pulled out a cell phone from her jeans. Pressing a couple buttons, she held it up to her ear. The van was eerily quiet as they listened in on her conversation.

"Kagura, it's Kag. Don't 'Hey, boss' me. I need you to look up the latest safe house Naraku has on file." Silence reigned for a few minutes.

Then: "Ok, now. Here's an address. Change them out. Just do it!" Kagome rattled off a number and street name.

"Thanks, Kagura. Yes, now you can call me boss again. I'll see you at Burn in a few days. Bye." She hung up and looked at Shippo. "Did you get that address?"

He managed to look offended. "Of course I did! What kind of computer and mathematical genius do you take me for?" he asked indignantly.

Kagome swatted at him from the back seat, making him duck and the van swerve.

"Children, play nice," Sango admonished from next to Ayame. Then she turned to Kagome, a serious look on her face.

"So, it's a safe house, then?" she asked quietly. Kagome nodded in return and sighed, slumping back in her seat.

Sending the guys a glare from the corner of her eyes, she muttered something unintelligible. Nothing was sacred from Inuyasha's sharp hearing, however.

"What do you mean, we're nothing but pains in the ass?" he growled.

"Exactly what is sounded like, dumbass!" she shot back.

The two glared at one another, then sat back, refusing to look at each other.

Shippo snickered from the driver's seat; a second later, a pen flew by his head, narrowly missing his ear.

Gulping, he decided to stay quiet and mind his own business for a while.

* * *

An hour later found them outside a nondescript building in another town.

"Where are we?" Miroku asked Sango as they climbed out of the van. "Somewhere Naraku wouldn't think to look," she replied shortly.

Opening the back doors of the vehicle, the girls grabbed three duffel bags that had previously gone unnoticed by the boys. Following them into the building, it became apparent that it was deserted.

They made their way up a back ser of stairs to the second floor. The boys looked around in surprise.

The first floor was covered in dust and animal tracks, where as the second floor was clean and neatly furnished. Dumping their bags on the couch, the girls made quick work of checking the entire floor, which had been converted into one large apartment.

It consisted of a well-stocked kitchen, three bedrooms, a dining room and living room. Separate bathrooms connected to each bedroom, allowing for a modicum of privacy.

Ayame came back into the living room and flopped down on the couch. "Welcome to safe house number six," she finally said.

"Our personal hell," Sango said in turn as she walked in, Kagome following her. "So…" Kagome trailed off. "Where do we go from here?" Shippo asked.

"Well, for one, we need to check in with Naraku. He'll expect it, even if he did have the artifacts brought to him directly," Kagome replied darkly.

"So Shippo, if you could make the necessary arrangements-" "What about us?" Inuyasha cut in.

"We need to check in with the Commander as well," Kouga interjected. "And ask him what the fuck was up with that raid by the JIA. We don't work with government thugs; we're a whole separate entity," Miroku ended.

The girls managed to look somewhat surprised at that news, but they shook it off.

"From out perspective, there's not much difference between you two," Sango said grumpily.

"Exactly. I mean, you do work for your 'Commander', who, in turn, works for the government," Kagome added.

"You wouldn't have to worry who we work for if you didn't do the kind of job you did," Inuyasha shot back. Kagome glared at him; he glared back just as fiercely.

"ok, ok, we get it. You each have your own reasons for doing what you do. Let's not argue about it just now. We've got things to do," Shippo soothed.

Abruptly, Kagome and Sango walked out of the room, leaving Ayame behind to settle the boys in.

Shippo went back to the van to hack into the Commander's government account and arrange some sort of meeting for the Enforcers. For the girl's he arranged the usual midnight meeting at the warehouse.

When he finally went upstairs it was to find all out war waging.

"I'm not sleeping on the floor!" Inuyasha's voice blasted him the moment he stepped through the door at the top of the stairs.

"Well, where else are you supposed to sleep!" Kagome shouted back. "With your, of course!" he answered.

Silence reigned for a split second, enough time for Shippo to walk into the kitchen, where the battle of wills was taking place.

A second later, both he and Inuyasha ducked the razor sharp knife that came flying their way.

"As IF!" Kagome yelled, stomping to her room and slamming the door. "She's not getting away that easily," Inuyasha growled, stomping after her.

Shippo looked around for the next squabbling couple.

"If you so much as look at me in a perverted way, I swear…!" Sango's voice drifted in from the dining room, where she was setting the table for dinner.

"But Sango, my love…" Miroku whined. "No!" she yelled.

Shippo cautiously stuck his head around the door, having learned his lesson with Kagome. He pulled it back just as fast, wincing as the plate Sango had thrown hit the door and shattered.

"Don't touch me! Leave me alone! Don't make me castrate you!" she threatened. Miroku's gulp was audible.

Shippo just sighed and shook his head, warily searching for Ayame and Kouga.

_Jeez, what is it with these women and throwing dangerous objects?_ he wondered vaguely as he walked into the living room.

Abruptly realizing what he was seeing, he quietly turned around and exited the room. He leaned against the wall in the hallway and chuckled to himself.

_Kagome and Sango could take a leaf out of Ayame's book_, Shippo mused to himself.

The third couple had already worked their differences out and were presently making out in the next room.

"I think I'll leave for a few hours. Maybe their tempers will cool down a bit," he said to himself as he let himself out of the apartment, still chuckling.

* * *

**AN**: There, done! Ok, my hands hurt now…and JAL was bugging me to get it done so he could use the computer… But! I have fulfilled my promise of completing this chapter!

WARNING! Next chapter: LEMON. Woo! I finally made it to the actual chapter! Ok, this one will most likely take me a bit to accomplish, as I've never written one in my life before. But Jenn will nag it out of me ASAP, no doubt.

.:Ja Ne:.

_**S.S.S.**_


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